ã€ŠGlobal Conflictã€‹


 Escape From Dushanbe

    Dushanbe, Tajikistan, 2018

    The coyote dashed through the abandoned building, bullets impacting the stone walls around her.

    She drew her M9 Beretta and fired back at the pursuing soldiers.

    Barging through a metal door, the Delta Force Operator spun around and closed the door, locking it with a heavy deadbolt.

    Thumping on the metal could be heard, along with shouting in Russian.

    ¡°Nu davay zhe! my naydem drugoy put''!¡±

    Now, with a moment to spare, the operator proceeded down the decrepit hallway, looking over her weapons and kit.

    Her M4 carbine was out of ammo, and her pistol had only one magazine left.

    "Fuck!"

    The coyote ran a paw through her dark tan fur before raising it to her earpiece and speaking.

    "Opal squad? Do you read? Over."

    No response.

    "Command, this is Opal-1. Come in, over."

    No response.

    "Command, this is Opal-1. Please respond, over."

    Nothing, not even static.

    "Shit¡­"

    The coyote proceeded through the building, water dripping from the ceiling as the afternoon sun shone through cracks worming their way through the walls.

    Passing through one of the rooms, she ducked down as Russian soldiers shined flashlights through the boarded-up windows.

    "Vse chisto!"

    The soldiers moved away, and the operator could reach a staircase and advance to the second floor.

    She passed by a section of the floor that had collapsed, looking down into the room below to see Russian troopers moving through the structure, weapons ready.

    The Delta Force operator hugged a wall and moved down another hallway before opening a doorway to continue forward.

    Suddenly, the coyote felt a force hit her from behind, knocking her to the floor. She was spun around, pulled facing upwards, to see a gray and tan rabbit with messy black stripes above her, aiming a pistol at her face.

    But suddenly, the rabbit''s expression changed from determined to relieved, and he breathed a sigh before speaking.

    "Jesus, CiCi, I almost shot you." The rabbit said, helping the coyote to her feet.

    "Oh yeah, Jacob, it''s not like you know who I am." The operator retorted.

    Another mammal was in the room, a white-furred female fox with an M24 sniper rifle, headphones, and a brown baseball cap.

    Jacob, meanwhile, had a beanie on his head, and CiCi wore a dark green boonie hat.

    All three soldiers wore unassuming civilian clothing, including sweatshirts and dull-colored pants. However, underneath these garments were bulletproof vests, hidden ammo magazines, and additional tactical gear.

    "Good to see you, Cecilia." The fox said.

    "Good to see you too, Livia." The coyote responded. "I need ammo."

    Jacob reached into his vest, took out a few magazines, and handed them to his squadmate.

    "What the fuck happened back there?" The coyote asked, reloading her carbine. "Our position was secure and had a clear view of that meeting. Where the hell did the Spetsnaz units come from?"

    "They might have realized they were being observed," Livia said. "But I don''t know how they would have figured that out. Perhaps we just got unlucky, and they spotted us."

    "Where''s Stryker?" Cecilia asked.

    Livia spoke into her radio.

    "Stryker, where are you?"

    A male voice could be heard, punctuated by heavy breathing.

    "I''m on the street, approaching your position! I''ve got hostiles on my six! I need cover fire!"

    The trio of mammals moved to the room''s windows, looking down into the city street. Tightly packed stone houses were everywhere, while larger structures could be seen in the distance. Directly outside was a small market with parked vehicles and civilians going about their business.

    There were mammals of many species, including snow leopards, hyenas, and foxes. Some walked around to examine stands in the marketplace. At the same time, shopkeepers waved their paws over the items on sale in an extravagant display.

    "There''s civies out there. Watch your fire." Cecilia said.

    A male mule with a baseball cap and a heavy jacket sprinted down an alleyway directly ahead of Cecilia and her squad.

    "There he is! 12 o''clock!" Jacob said, pointing.

    However, more mammals in dark green uniforms suddenly appeared, carrying AK-pattern rifles and Russian flags on their gear.

    "Contact! Contact! Coming down the alleyway!"

    Civilians ran away as the squad opened fire on the incoming Russians, striking hostile troopers and the pavement nearby.

    Stryker took cover behind a dumpster, turning around and firing at the hostiles with an M4 carbine, quickly cutting down two Russians.

    "Hostiles coming up the street! 2 o''clock!"

    Another squad of Russians took cover behind vehicles and engaged a heavy weapons trooper setting up a light machine gun.

    "I''m pinned down here!" Stryker yelled, ducking down as a piece of shrapnel bounced off the street nearby. "Give me cover fire!"

    "Tossing frag!" Cecilia yelled, throwing a grenade down onto the pavement¡ªthe explosive detonated, blowing up a parked car and killing most of the Russians.

    "Stryker! Use the fire escape and get up here now!" Livia yelled once the remaining enemy troopers were dead.

    Following her suggestion, the mule ascended the exterior of the building and climbed in through a window.

    "Thanks for that."

    "Do you still have your body camera?" Livia asked.

    The delta force operator tapped the device on his chest.

    "Still got it. Full of footage showing Chinese envoys meeting with Russian envoys, both civilian and military. Meeting to further strengthen their ties together."

    "NATO and our other Western allies will have to be on full alert."

    "There may be other nations as well. I saw a few North Koreans." Jacob said, reloading the rifle in his paws. "Command needs to know this."

    Glancing out the window, Livia spotted a Russian trooper down on one knee with a weapon on his shoulder.

    "RPG!"

    Opal squad ducked as the projectile impacted the building, causing an explosion. Dust and debris raining from the ceiling.

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    "Let''s get the fuck out of here! Opal squad, move out!"

    Cecilia barged through a door and sprinted down the hallway, her allies close behind her.

    They jumped out a second-story window, using a pile of debris to descend to ground level. The squad found themselves in a derelict alleyway full of trash, junk, and rusted vehicles.

    "Opal squad, do you read? Over." Came a male voice through the radio.

    "This is Opal-1. We read you command." Cecilia responded.

    "Reach the other side of the skyscraper under construction to the south of your position. A Black Hawk is inbound for evac."

    "Affirmative command!"

    Reaching the top of a slight incline, the four mammals looked out across a large, flat, dusty expanse of dirt in front of them. Construction equipment and foundations for buildings could be seen, along with partly finished concrete towers jutting into the sky.

    A pair of military trucks pulled up to a construction site ahead of the group. Soldiers hopped out of the vehicles and moved to secure the area.

    "Those aren''t Russian Ground Forces," Jacob noted, peering through a set of tactical binoculars. "The gear is different."

    Cecilia focused on the red star painted on one of the trucks and recognized the symbol.

    "Shit, if it isn''t the People''s Liberation Army."

    "Are they providing combat support for the Russians?" Livia asked.

    "Must be. We saw Chinese and Russian military envoys meeting not even an hour ago."

    "PLA or RGF, we need to get to the evac point," Stryker said.

    "Then let''s move. Get ready."

    The team moved down an embankment towards the enemy forces, taking cover behind a partly constructed wall of stone bricks.

    However, the PLA troopers were on alert, spotting the incoming force.

    "D¨ªsh¨¬!"

    The Chinese force fired at the American troopers, who promptly returned fire.

    "They''ve spotted us! Open fire!" Livia yelled.

    Jacob hunkered down and took out a small quadcopter, flipping a switch and powering up the rotors.

    "Deploying recon drone!"

    The machine slowly lifted into the sky as the rabbit took out a heavy-duty tablet.

    He navigated the drone into the air, surveying the battlefield and spotting enemies taking cover.

    "Hostiles behind the storage container to the left!"

    Livia took an incendiary grenade from her belt and threw it around the metal barricade.

    "Sh¨¯uli¨²d¨¤n!"

    The device detonated, blanketing the area with flames. The searing fire scorched the Chinese soldiers as the Americans kept the pressure on.

    The dusty field was alive with the sounds of battle¡ªthe shouts of troopers, the detonations of explosions, and the loud bangs of gunfire.

    "T¨®uzh¨ª sh¨¯uli¨²d¨¤n!"

    "Hostile neutralized!"

    ¡°B¨³r¨³ d¨°ngw¨´ xi¨¤l¨¢i! Y¨©sh¨¥ng!¡±

    "Enemy with a shotgun!"

    "Kill confirmed!"

    "Recon drone down!"

    Soon, the hum of engines could be heard, and an unmarked UH-60 Black Hawk aircraft hovered overhead.

    "Opal squad, this is Gamma-3." A voice said through the radio, "On station to provide support."

    The aircraft spun around, its wide open side door facing the PLA forces. From the elevated position, a soldier with a mounted machine gun opened up on the enemy troopers.

    Cecilia took cover behind a large loader before advancing and opening up on an enemy wolf, managing to shoot the trooper''s rifle out of his paws.

    Thinking quickly, the canine charged forward on all fours, tackling the American and sending her falling to her back, dropping her rifle.

    The delta force operator barely managed to hold the wolf back as the Chinese trooper snapped his teeth, trying to bite the coyote.

    "Get the fuck off me!"

    Freeing one of her paws, Cecilia unsheathed her combat knife and plunged it into the side of the wolf''s head. She threw the enemy trooper off her before springing to her feet, retrieving her carbine, and rejoining the fight.

    The team was nearing the partially constructed skyscraper, entering and running through the concrete structure.

    Another squad of enemies appeared, which the Americans quickly engaged. However, just as they eliminated the last hostile, one more PLA trooper, a panda, appeared. None of his fur was visible. Every inch of his body was covered with thick ballistic plating, reminiscent of an EOD suit. Even his head and face were covered with a thick visor.

    ¡°Hostile juggernaut!¡± Stryker yelled as the team raced for cover behind concrete walls.

    The PLA soldier pushed forward, opening up on the Americans with a minigun connected to a backpack by an ammo belt.

    Cecilia emptied half a magazine into the enemy trooper, but he didn''t even flinch. Instead, turning the weapon on the coyote, who had to duck as the weapon hummed loudly and let loose.

    "I''m under fire!"

    Stryker focused his shots on the panda''s right arm, dealing enough damage that the arm plating shattered.

    The PLA trooper was stunned briefly, looking over his now exposed limb.

    "Focus on the chest!" Jacob yelled.

    The team compiled, firing on the hostile with enough force that the chest armor broke apart, exposing the fur and a white tank top underneath.

    Cecilia reloaded her carbine and fired her weapon into the trooper''s exposed chest.

    The enemy soldier spasmed and dropped his minigun, collapsing forward onto the cold concrete floor.

    "Enemy is fucking KIA!"  Livia said. "Let''s get moving. More Chinese forces are likely right behind us!"

    Weapons ready, the team sprinted out the other side of the building, spotting the Black Hawk hovering a few feet above the ground nearby.

    "Come on! Come on!" an airmammal yelled, standing at the aircraft''s side door.

    The squad of mammals made haste to the vehicle. But suddenly, a dark black Chinese attack helicopter appeared overhead and opened fire.

    "Enemy helo!"

    The aircraft fired a barrage of missiles that knocked Opal squad onto their backs and struck the Black Hawk.

    The damaged American vehicle leaned to one side, its spinning rotor inches from Opal squad.

    "Get back! Get back!"

    Cecilia shimmed away from the aircraft, shielding her face with her paw.

    The Black Hawk lost control and spun overhead, crashing into the skyscraper and causing debris to fall from the structure as the vehicle exploded in a fireball.

    Loud crunching was audible as cracks wormed their way through the structure.

    "It''s falling down! Get to cover!"

    A few enemy troops emerged from the skyscraper. But before they could engage, the building broke apart, crushing the Chinese soldiers under a layer of concrete.

    Cecilia covered her face once more as small rocks bounced by her, and the collapse kicked a cloud of dust into the air.

    ¡°*cough* Jacob! cough cough Livia! Stryker!"

    The delta force operator stood up, peering through the dust.

    "I''m over here!" Stryker yelled, coughing and emerging into view. "We gotta get out of here. This dust is the¡­ cough cough only thing keeping us from being hit by that helo!"

    "Command! Come in! cough cough" Jacob spoke into his radio. "Evac is down! Need alternative extraction! How copy? cough¡±

    "Where''s Livia?"

    "Over here!"

    The pair turned to where the voice came from, spotting the fox next to a Chinese military vehicle.

    It was a four-wheeled light attack buggy with a roll cage, two rows of seats, and a top-mounted light machine gun.

    "It''s an enemy vehicle¡­ but we can use it to get out of here." the engineer explained.

    "I don''t think we have much of a choice¡­." Stryker said.

    "Then get in Opal squad. I''ll drive."

    Cecilia hopped into the driver''s seat while Stryker took position at the mounted weapon. Jacob sat in the passenger''s seat while Livia rode in the back.

    ¡°Uhhh¡­ let¡¯s see¡­ I don''t recognize any of the writing here¡­" Cecilia said, looking over the dashboard.

    The delta force operator started up the vehicle and pressed the gas pedal. The buggy lurched forward as the coyote navigated out of the construction site and onto a long highway running parallel to a sandy embankment.

    The sound of spinning rotors grew closer as Stryker looked up to see the Chinese attack helicopter from earlier flying right behind the buggy.

    "Enemy helo is back!"

    The mule opened fire on the aircraft with the buggy''s turret as Cecilia drove erratically to avoid incoming fire.

    Another Chinese buggy approached behind the Americans, and the PLA soldiers riding inside opened fire with rifles.

    Jacob and Livia fired back with their handheld weapons when a barrage of lead suddenly tore through the enemy aircraft, sending it slamming into the dirt.

    Opal squad looked to the top of the embankment to see a half-track truck with a flatbed. Atop was a mounted cannon with four barrels. Additionally, a civilian car appeared behind the buggy, making a beeline to the pursuing PLA buggy and crashing into it.

    The civilian vehicle exploded in a fiery blast, obliterating the Chinese buggy.

    "What the hell was that?!" Stryker yelled.

    But the mule''s questions were answered moments later when a pickup truck came over the embankment and down onto the road. In the back of the truck, a mammal with a scarf around his head was operating a mounted machine gun. A similar mammal occupied the driver''s seat. The technical had Arabic writing on the side and a symbol consisting of two crossed scimitars.

    "Al-Sayf is here too!?"

    "Fucking terrorists!" Livia responded, opening fire on the insurgent vehicle. "I hate these guys. They aren''t your normal band of extremists; they''re organized!"

    The technical fired back with its mounted weapon as Stryker opened up with the buggy''s weapon.

    "They think we''re Chinese!" Jacob yelled.

    "It doesn''t make a difference to them!" Cecilia responded, ramming the enemy vehicle. "And it shouldn''t make a difference to us! Take out the driver!"

    The squad fired upon the technical, which drove erratically and resisted the gunfire with its armor plating. Eventually, though, someone hit the driver, the vehicle turning and crashing into the embankment before rolling over.

    "Scud launcher!" Livia yelled, pointing ahead to a massive truck with an equally powerful missile atop it.

    Cecilia swerved out of the way of the larger terrorist vehicle, with the buggy scraping against the truck''s side.

    Jacob lost his balance as the vehicle shook from the impact and tumbled sideways out of the buggy.

    In the nick of time, Cecilia lunged towards the rabbit, keeping one paw on the wheel and grabbing Jacob''s combat harness with the other.

    "I''ve got you!"

    With the strength of one arm, she managed to pull the sniper back into the vehicle.

    "I owe you one."

    "Don''t mention it."

    Insurgent infantry on the embankment fired at the buggy with AK-Ms but quickly turned their attention to another Chinese vehicle coming up the road.

    A PLA armored truck stopped nearby, and soldiers exited, engaging the terrorists.

    "Al-Sayf is engaging the PLA," Jacob said, looking behind the buggy.

    "Let them fight it out amongst themselves!" Stryker said as the hostile combatants drifted out of sight.

    "We''re clear," Livia said, the entire squad breathing a sigh of relief.

    "Better radio command. Let them know we''re coming in with a stolen enemy vehicle." Stryker noted.

    "Fuck!" Cecilia said, hitting her paw against the steering wheel. "That mission should have gone off without a hitch. Instead, we get into a firefight with Russian Spetsnaz and half the Chinese army!"

    "We just fought our way through over a dozen PLA soldiers," Livia said. "As if tensions right now aren''t high enough¡­."

    "Maybe we can give them an excuse," Jacob suggested. "Miscommunication, faulty comms, misidentification of Al-Sayf forces¡­."

    "I don''t think that''s gonna satisfy the military officers who now have a pile of corpses and destroyed vehicles."

    "At least we got the evidence we needed," Cecilia interjected. "Chinese officials meeting with their Russian counterparts and representatives from other countries."

    "We can''t risk a crisis against two superpowers," Jacob added.

    "At least we''d have our allies worldwide to support us," Livia stated. "But right now, things are just as dangerous as they were during the Cold War!"

    "We gotta be careful how we make our next move," Cecilia noted grimly. "Because this could easily spiral into a new era of conflict."

 False Flag

    Velikiye Luki, Russia, May 21st, 2018, Feast of the Ascension of Jesus Christ

    Cheers sounded throughout the Russian city, echoing off the stone and brick buildings. In a large square, mammals visited wooden market stands at a bazaar. The shops selling everything from produce to clothing.

    Nearby stood a Cathedral with an intricately carved stone exterior and colorful domes topping its towers. A crowd of mammals stood on each side of a cobblestone street, watching a group of religious leaders parade before them, carrying golden instruments and sacred artifacts.

    A ten-year-old tiger girl was watching a bear in a gold vest walk by, carrying a large cross the same color as his clothing. She turned her gaze to a street performer nearby, who was waving around a wand. He held the object up to the tiger girl, who reached to touch it. Just before her paw touched the wand, the performer flicked his wrist, and the wand turned into a bouquet of flowers.

    The young girl giggled and smiled as the mammal began to perform a series of zero-gravity coin tricks. Her eyes remained transfixed on the shiny metal object as it floated through the air.

    "Vera, sweetie, could you help me with the groceries?"

    The young girl turned to see an elderly tiger standing nearby, wearing a brown vest and carrying a bulging paper bag.

    "Yes, Grandma!"

    Vera raced over and gripped the bag in her paws, grunting as she hoisted it upwards into a standing position.

    "You are so strong, dearie," her grandmother said as the pair walked down the street. "And you look so pretty in your nice white dress."

    Vera could hear familiar music from street musicians and see little kids dashing through the streets playing tag.

    "Maybe grandma will let me play with them." The feline thought, gaze lingering on the other kits. However, not looking where she was going, the young girl bumped into a wolverine wearing a navy blue blazer and khaki pants. She dropped the bag, and some groceries spilled onto the sidewalk.

    "Oh, very sorry about that." The wolverine said, bending down to pick up the dropped items and putting them back in the bag. Thankfully, nothing was broken or spilled.

    "Don''t worry, things happen." Vera''s grandmother said as the little girl lifted the bag again.

    The young feline managed to get a good look at the wolverine. His paws were covered with dark brown fur, while most of his body had a lighter brown fur coloration. His eyes were a pale gray.

    "Enjoy the festivities, ma''am." The wolverine said, waving goodbye and walking down a side street. His eyes scanned his surroundings, ensuring no one was around before opening a side door and striding into a darkened garage. A white-furred fox with pale blue eyes stood inside a darkened garage. She wore dark gray pants with a black blazer and a light gray shirt.

    Elsewhere in the room, a male tiger dressed in a black suit was talking with a female coyote dressed in a steel-colored suit.

    "So¡­ Anatoly¡­" the coyote asked. "How was your date with that deer from the aerospace forces the other day?"

    "Oh, it was wonderful, Svetlana." The tiger said, taking a drag from a cigarette. "We went to a concert¡­ had a few drinks¡­ went home¡­ she couldn''t resist¡­ one thing led to another¡­ and¡­"

    "Well, I hope you two had fun."

    Anatoly seemed to stare off into space, reminiscing about a few days prior. A lovestruck smirk on his muzzle.

    ¡°Anatoly? Anatoly? Hello?¡±

    "Huh? Oh, sorry, Svet, I got a bit distracted there. We have another date scheduled for next week."

    "Well, let us hope we do not need you for the next phase of our plan. Where are you going this time?"

    "She managed to convince me to go hiking with her. But¡­ I don''t know; I don''t like being out there without all of life''s modern conveniences. Er¡­ that is when I''m not on a mission for our cause."

    "You''ll be getting back into nature. Running through the woods is just like our ancient ancestors used to do. That reminds me, did you know that my family and many other coyotes come from Alaska, way back when it used to be part of the Russian Empire."

    "Hey, here''s a question for you," Anatoly said, changing the subject and gesturing to the white-furred fox nearby. "Belka. I see that name a lot for a lot of foxes and wolves. What''s up with that?"

    "Belka? It''s a common name," The female canine responded, "Especially for wolves and foxes. It originally comes from one of Russia''s national heroes. The first two mammals in space."

    "I know Misha is also a common name for bears."

    "Yep, after one of the Soviet Union''s most loyal and respected daughters."

    The recently arrived wolverine moved over to the fox in the room and spoke.

    "Belka Morozova."

    "Dima." She responded. "Glad to see you made it."

    "I never got a chance to ask you. What did your contacts say about that mess in Dushanbe?"

    "Officially, it was a communications issue, coupled with terrorist activity in the area. But¡­ some sources indicate that it was an American force. It''s possible they were spying on the meeting between our allies that day."

    "Such blatant interference, we should speak to them in the only language they understand. Violence."

    "I have been assured by our leadership that they are doing everything possible to give us a better chance of escaping the influence of the US and its allies. Soon, Russia and those who support her will triumph over the nations seeking to harm her. We have been a fortress under siege for decades."

    The fox''s watch beeped, and she looked down at her wrist.

    "Sigh¡­ it''s time."

    Belka strode over to a stack of dark green plastic military crates and climbed on top of them. The other mammals in the room looked at her as she spoke.

    "Comrades¡­ we are here today to undertake a mission that must be done to ensure the survival of our nation. You are some of my closest compatriots. Those most loyal to our cause. Blood Paw, we know you as. The inner circle. Those ultranationalists who are most willing to do what must be done!"

    There was a pause, and the fox''s mood turned somber.

    "These are our people. Our brothers and sisters. It brings me no joy to do what we are about to..."

    There was another long pause as Belka looked towards the floor.

    "But sacrifice is necessary to achieve prosperity. For Russia!"

    The fox held up her fist, and the other mammals did the same, replying in unison.

    "For Russia!"

    A Few Minutes Later¡­

    The four mammals now wore heavy black Kevlar padding over their clothing, covering their entire torsos. They also wore neck braces, kneepads, equipment belts, and ballistic vests across their chests. They carried pouches of ammo and tactical gear; Anatoly even had an ammo belt wrapped around his torso.

    Belka and Anatoly carried M240 light machine guns with large green box magazines. Every mammal carried a G36 rifle with an underbarrel grenade launcher. While Svetlana and Dima also carried AA-12 assault shotguns.

    "Is everyone ready? There is no turning back now. Remember that what we do will be for the greater good."

    The group nodded, and their leader spoke again.

    "Then follow my lead."

    The fox threw open the metal garage door, and the Blood Paw unit strode out onto the street lined with parade watchers.

    Some crowd members turned to the strange group, wondering what the heavy weapons and armor were for. Were they merely a very well-equipped security unit?

    Without so much as a moment of hesitation, Belka and her compatriots leveled their weapons, braced the stocks against their bodies, and opened fire.

    Dozens of mammals were shredded by the hail of bullets in the first few seconds.

    Screams filled the street as citizens began to sprint away from the gunfire, desperately trying to find safety.

    Stone and brick walls ablated from the gunshots.

    Religious personnel dropped their relics and tried to flee.

    The ultranationalists barely had to aim. The crowd was so large that it was almost guaranteed someone would be hit if you fired in their general direction.

    "Advance towards the cathedral!" Ms.Morozova ordered. "Show no mercy!"

    The Blood Paw team began to press forward, stepping over the piles of civilians littering the ground and through the crimson ichor that seeped into the cobblestone.

    A few police officers present at the celebration drew their weapons and fired at the Blood Paw unit. But, only wielding pistols or submachine guns, they were no match for the heavily armed and armored ultranationalists. Their bullets could barely be felt under the thick body armor.

    Nearby, a boar crawled across the ground, only to be spotted by Svetlana.

    "Where do you think you''re going?"

    The coyote put her foot on his back, pressing his face into the pavement, before putting her shotgun to his head and pulling the trigger.

    "No hesitation!" Belka said, smiling. "I knew you were the right choice for this mission!"

    The fox fired her rifle with one paw. Turning to the right and bracing the stock against her arm as she gunned down two police officers descending a set of stairs.

    A male deer tried desperately to drag his wounded wife away from the carnage, the injured mammal making a red trail across the ground. But the deer was gunned down with no mercy, joining his mate in death.

    Those who were injured, writhing in pain, attempting to get away, or putting their paws up to surrender were given no quarter. They only made for easier targets.

    Besides the occasional exclamation or order from their leader, the ultranationalists mainly stayed silent. Maintaining a cold, deathly composure as they carried out their grisly task. Even Anatoly, who typically shouted at enemies and yelled battle cries during combat, was deathly silent.

    Nearly a dozen mammals had tried to flee down an alleyway, only to find it blocked by a metal gate. They pounded and pulled against the bars, trying to escape until Anatoly and Dima sprayed the group with gunfire. Their bodies slumped lifelessly against the blockage.

    Anatoly pulled back the bolt and opened the top of his LMG, removing the heavy metal box magazine and tucking it away. He retrieved another magazine and clipped it into the weapon, placing the end of the belt against the pin and closing the gun before resuming firing.

    Vera''s tail wagged slowly as she bit into a delicious frosted pastry. She and her grandmother sat at a metal table in an outdoor marketplace. Shops were all around them, and the owners were haggling over prices with customers. On the table before the tigers were assorted pastries and 2 steaming cups of tea.

    "Thank you, Grandma!" The young feline said happily.

    "Oh, anything for you, sweetheart." The old woman cooed, rubbing her granddaughter''s hair. "This reminds me of the time I took you shopping."

    "Oh yeah! I got a colorful notebook that time!"

    "Are you still writing in it?"

    "Yes!"

    Suddenly, dozens of rapid bangs replaced the dull roar of a nearby conversation. Mammals nearby stood to attention as they could hear the sounds growing closer.

    Vera looked at her grandma, the old tiger''s face filled with shock and fear. Some mammals began to sprint away from the noise, while others stood frozen in horror.

    "This way, dear, come! Quick!"

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    The elderly feline grabbed her granddaughter''s paw and hurried out of the market, leaving their pastries and groceries behind.

    "Grandma, what about the food?" Vera asked as the pair made it to the front of the cathedral.

    "In here! In here!" A rabbit yelled, pointing inside the building. Dozens of people ran inside the building, cowering in the back of the central room as three mammals shut the heavy wooden doors and barred them shut with a wooden plank.

    "We''ll be safe in here!" Someone yelled.

    "Do not worry, my sons and daughters." The priest said, standing in front of the pulpit. "The lord will protect us here in this house of god."

    The ultranationalists had reached the outdoor market, where more civilians were visible, hunkering down, having heard the gunfire.

    The ultranationalists emptied their magazines into the bazaar, the bullets shredding through signs, produce that was on display, and, of course, people.

    Belka and Dima took out grenades and pulled the pins, tossing the weapons towards the civilians. The explosions obliterated wooden market stands and tore apart anyone standing nearby.

    Reaching the cathedral, the team tried to enter through the side door, only to find it locked.

    "I could blow it open with C4," Anatoly suggested.

    "Save it for now; let''s try the front," Belka ordered.

    Svetlana grabbed a shovel from a pile of gardening equipment nearby, inserting it through the door''s handles to prevent them from opening.

    The ultranationalists moved to the front door, only to find this entrance also locked.

    "Anatoly, explosives, now."

    The tiger nodded and stowed his weapon, placing a C4 charge on the door and clicking the timer.

    The mammals stepped back, and the explosive detonated, reducing the doors to wooden splinters. Gasps and yells could be heard as the Blood Paw team strode inside.

    The floor was polished marble, with intricate columns near the walls. Elaborate gold carvings and colorful pictures of saints and Jesus covered the ceiling and walls.

    Dozens of mammals were huddled inside the building, having been inside when the shooting started or having fled to the cathedral seeking safety.

    "Please!" Said a priest, standing in front of a wooden pulpit, desperately trying to stop the carnage. "Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamor, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice. And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God, for Christ''s sake, hath forgiven you!"

    "Stay behind me, dearie." Vera''s grandmother said, the little girl cowering behind her. The door had shattered into splinters and caused her fur to stand on end. She could spot four mammals walking towards them, wearing suits and vests. She recognized one as the wolverine from earlier, but the group spoke in a language she did not recognize.

    "Kill them," Belka ordered.

    "Yes, Ma''am."

    Mammals began to hunker down, cry, and hug their loved ones as the ultranationalists raised their weapons and opened fire.

    Horrified screams and the rapid bangs of gunfire filled the church. Belka''s icy cold blue eyes watched as men, women, and children were put down like savage monsters.

    Some tried to hide behind walls or objects, while others attempted to shield their loved ones from harm. Many even tried to flee out the side door, to no avail.

    After over 10 seconds of sustained fire, the white-furred fox held up a fist, and her troops stopped shooting.

    All was silent.

    The bodies of dozens of mammals littered the ground. Crimson puddles seeped across the marbled floor.

    The priest lay slumped against the pulpit, which was riddled with bullet holes. The ethereal paintings were now covered with gunshot impacts.

    "Good work, Blood Paw." Ms.Morozova said. "Now come, let us move to the extraction point."

    "This does sicken me," Dima said, ears drooping. "Surely, there must be another way."

    "What we do, we do for all of Russia. Tens of millions of people. What we will accomplish is bigger than a simple crowd at a parade. From this wound will be born a new era of prosperity for Russia and her allies. One without the stonewalling interference of the West."

    "I know¡­"

    "You yourself said to speak to them in the only language they understand. Do you doubt me? Or the cause we fight for?"

    The wolverine''s face hardened with newfound determination.

    "Not for one second, ma''am."

    "Then let''s move."

    Returning to the destroyed door out of the church, the group could hear sirens and helicopters rapidly approaching. They stacked up on the exit, and Belka spoke.

    "Here comes the OMON unit. Check your weapons and ammo. Fight tactically."

    The other 3 mammals nodded as the ultranationalists readied their firearms and exited the building.

    Vera lay on the church floor, tears streaming down her face. She hurt all over, much worse than the stomach ache she had a month before. Her paws were covered in red liquid, which the tiger tried to wipe off her palms. But more of the substance was staining her shirt.

    With great difficulty, she turned her head to the left. Her grandmother lay on the marble nearby, looking like she was sleeping.

    "I''m so tired¡­" Vera thought. Above her, she could see the visage of Christ, reaching out his arms to welcome someone in a loving embrace.

    The visage faded, and Vera''s eyes closed as her last breath escaped her lips.

    Outside, the ultranationalists now moved like a proper military unit, as opposed to the ruthless killers they had been previously. The group checked corners and covered each other as they advanced down the street.

    Flashing blue and red lights could be seen ahead as a small Kamov Ka-226 helicopter hovered above.

    Anatoly fired his under-barrel grenade launcher, striking the police aircraft near its coaxial rotors.

    The helicopter spun out of control and scraped against the side of a building, sending chunks of stone flying as it careened down onto the street.

    "Fly away home, sucker!" The tiger yelled as smoke grenades detonated down the street, and shadows could be seen moving inside.

    "Ballistic shields, take them out!" Ms.Morozova ordered as a squad of troops with square metal shields began to advance toward the group. Their protective gear resisting the gunfire from the ultranationalists.

    Anatoly fired another grenade, blowing away most of the squad, as troops with assault rifles moved in.

    Belka and Anatoly drew the fire from the incoming OMON forces as Dima and Svetlana hunkered down behind parked cars. The coyote and wolverine managed to flank the police and fire at them from the side.

    Pushing through the smoke, another squad of hostiles engaged the ultranationalists. Snipers even fired down from buildings on either side of the street.

    "Contact above!"

    "Roger that! Upper balconies!"

    Parked cars and the exteriors of buildings were shot full of holes as the battle raged. But the ultranationalists kept the pressure on, using their heavy weapons and armor to their advantage, along with superior squad tactics.

    An armored van pulled up and screeched to a halt, with its rear doors facing the Blood Paw team.

    Svetlana pulled a grenade from her vest and let it cook in her paw. Just as the rear doors opened, she tossed the weapon, getting it through the gap. The grenade exploded before any of the officers had a chance to exit, killing the entire squad inside. The van itself was left in a smoldering wreck.

    "This way, we''re almost there," Belka said as the group dashed down an alley, leaving behind the street littered with dead officers.

    At the end of the alley was a utility van, and the back doors opened to reveal a male reindeer in a gray blazer, gray pants, and a bulletproof vest.

    "Oh good, none of you are shot," The reindeer said. "Let''s go!"

    The reindeer climbed into the driver''s seat, and the other ultranationalists climbed into the back. The driver turned on the vehicle''s lights and started up the van, zipping out of the alleyway and down the street. Police and OMON vehicles raced by in the other direction, lights flashing.

    The driver spoke once they were a sufficient distance from the scene.

    "Ok, I think we''re clear."

    The squad finally let themselves relax as Belka wiped tears from her eyes.

    "Remember¡­ what we did¡­ we did for Russia."

    "For Russia." The other three mammals said in unison.

    "I put something in the medication cabinet I thought you might need," the driver said, " regardless of the outcome of your mission."

    Svetlana moved over to the cabinet and opened it up, smiling slightly as she saw what was inside.

    "Might help ease the pain." The coyote said, retrieving the vodka bottle and four small glasses inside.

    She passed out the glasses and poured the drink before the mammals clinked their cups together.

    "Good work, everyone," Belka said, taking the first sip of her beverage. This event will swell our ranks with volunteers. And then¡­ we can look to the bigger picture¡­"

    Walker Residence, Lakeport, California, United States, May 21st, 2018

    It was a suburb like any other. Full of quiet sidewalks, green trees, and regularly spaced houses with plain, matte coloration. An ice cream van meandered through the streets, prompting kits to dash from their dwellings at the first note of the vehicle''s cheery tune.

    Inside a small, drab gray house, four coyotes sat around a dinner table. Two males and two females, two older than the others, sitting across the table from the younger ones.

    Delta Force operator Cecilia Walker cut into a slice of salted chicken and raised the piece to her mouth. She wiped her muzzle with a napkin before the sauce from the meat could drip onto her shirt, which was dark green with black writing that said "Army."

    "Elizabeth, could you pass the salad, please?" Said the older male coyote, dressed in khaki shorts and a navy blue button-up shirt.

    "Yes, honey." The older female coyote responded, handing her husband a greens-filled wooden bowl.

    "Dad, did you end up fixing the hot water heater?" Cecilia asked, turning to the older canine, who was helping himself to more lettuce.

    "Nah, I ended up calling a guy."

    "Charles, I told you, you should have done that from the start." Elizabeth chimed in.

    "Alright, well, next time, I''ll listen to you."

    "You''ve been saying that for over 20 years." She said, brushing a crumb from her dull olive blazer. "Dylan, is everything going well at work?"

    "Yes, Mrs.Walker!" Responded the younger male coyote, who was dressed in a sky-blue button-down shirt. "We just closed a big contract, so it''s been kinda busy lately."

    "Oh, I hope they give you a nice big bonus."

    "And did you see? Berkeley is going to the nationals!" Charles said, gesturing to Dylan.

    "Finally! It''s been years since they made it to nationals." The other male canine responded, cutting through his chicken.

    "Sweetie, how are your coworkers? Are you doing anything exciting?" Elizabeth asked.

    "We''re good mom. But you know I can''t talk about any specifics."

    "I know, sweetie, I just hope everyone is doing ok. You should have seen how worried I was about your father."

    "Don''t worry, Mom, I have great squadmates. We work really well as a team."

    "Your daughter really knows how to handle herself." Dylan chimed in. "Top of her class, special forces, ribbons, and citations¡­"

    "Well, I gave her a few pointers from my Cold War days." Charles laughed, prompting a few chuckles.

    After a few more minutes of small talk, Cecilia''s parents had to get going. The group cleaned up, and the two younger coyotes escorted the older ones to the door.

    "Thanks for having us over, you two," Elizabeth said, leaning in and kissing her daughter on the cheek. "Love you, sweetie."

    "Love you too, Mom."

    "Bye, Mr & Mrs Walker!" Dylan said happily as the two older coyotes got into their car, pulled out of the driveway, and headed down the street.

    "You''re always so formal." Cecilia teased as the pair went back inside and shut the door.

    "I''m just¡­ trying to make a good impression. I''m always worried your parents don''t like me very much¡­"

    "Are you kidding?! They love you! Both you and my dad ran for the same track team in college."

    "Yeah, but¡­ their daughter is an elite soldier, and her husband is just a boring office drone!"

    "I thought you liked your work?"

    "I do! I like working with numbers. They''re so easy to comprehend¡­ numbers are beautiful in any language!"

    "Ever since we first met, I thought you were very analytical."

    "It''s not as exciting or terrifying as your work, though. Running around in a warzone."

    "Being under fire really gets the blood pumping. But I''m sure your work is a lot safer."

    "I know you can handle yourself, but¡­ I''m always worried about you¡­"

    A ringing sound could be heard; Cecilia pulled out her smartphone and answered, Instantly recognizing who was calling.

    "Hey, CiCi." Said a male voice on the other end.

    "It''s Stryker. Hey Stryker, I''m here with Dylan."

    "Hello, Stryker." The male coyote added.

    "What''s up, Dylan? Hey, have you two seen the news?" The mule continued.

    "No? What happened?" Cecilia asked.

    "Turn on the TV. It should be on every news channel."

    The coyote obliged, picking up a remote and turning on the plasma screen mounted on the wall.

    They were greeted by a bright red news station logo and the visage of a snow leopard reporter dressed in a light green blazer.

    "It''s being called one of the worst terrorist attacks of the 21st century." The newscaster said, "Dozens of people were killed while celebrating ascension day in the Russian city of Velikiye Luki. We want to warn you that some of the images you are about to see are disturbing."

    The picture changed to show a street in a Russian city. Dozens of mammal forms lay on the ground, covered by white sheets. Police and authorities combed the area as technicians set up crime scene tape and sirens flashed. A moose reporter stood nearby, speaking calmly yet seriously as the camera panned around the scene.

    "Dozens of mammals gunned down while celebrating the ascension of Christ at an outdoor gathering. Initial findings indicate that the massacre began on a side street before progressing to a local bazaar and then into a church, where the attackers killed all the mammals inside."

    The camera lingered on a pair of tigers lying on the church floor. One was very young, one very old, and both looked like they were sleeping.

    "Afterwards, the terrorists engaged in a firefight with police, killing multiple officers and even managing to take down a small helicopter. However, after this, visual contact was lost with the attackers, who subsequently disappeared. As of now, their whereabouts are unknown."

    The scene shifted back to the snow leopard newscaster. Superimposed on the screen, next to her, was a dark green flag with a white circle in the center. Arabic writing and two swords were depicted on the cloth in gold coloration.

    "The death toll currently stands at 213 but is expected to rise. At this time, there are no known survivors. Al-Sayf has denied responsibility for the attack but has applauded the group that carried out the operation. Saying that such actions will free the world from oppression."

    The Al-Sayf flag disappeared and was replaced by a Chinese and Russian flag.

    "According to Russian officials, the terrorists were using American and Western-made weapons. This, plus the suspected tactics used in the massacre, are leading the Kremlin to speculate that this attack somehow had the involvement of the West. Russia is now demanding it be allowed to deploy troops into neighboring regions in order to safeguard its own security. Beijing is offering its full support in the event Moscow wants to take military action against those responsible for this attack."

    "Did you catch all that?" Stryker asked, prompting a response from Cecilia.

    "Yes, we did..."

    "Shit¡­ Cecilia, I don''t like this. Not one bit. The world is a powder keg right now. China is building islands in the South China Sea¡­ those terrorists in the Middle East are making moves. This could either be more fuel for the fire or the spark that sets the whole thing ablaze."

    "I know what you mean."

    There was a pause, and the mule spoke again.

    "Gotta go, the misses needs me. You two be safe now, ya hear?"

    "Got it, see ya, Stryker."

    "Take care."

    The coyote hung up the phone and paced the room in contemplation.

    "Hmm¡­ Stryker''s right; we''re closer to war now than we''ve ever been before. Damnit and I''m shipping back out tomorrow."

    "Where are you being sent now?"

    "I can''t tell you anything specific, but I''m staying stateside for now. In California."

    "You''re not even leaving the state? I''m glad that you''re not far, but it''s hard coming home at night with you not being here."

    "Hey, don''t worry! When we have a kit, you''ll have someone to keep you occupied."

    That caused a brief chuckle between the two before the mood became somber.

    ¡°Just¡­ come home safe please¡­¡± Dylan said, taking her paws in his and rubbing a digit against the golden band around her finger. "I love you."

    Cecilia''s tail wagged, her tough military mammal persona softening from her mate''s tender touch and warm words.

    She rested her forehead against his and felt the matching gold band around Dylan''s finger.

    "I love you too."

    Ultranationalist Headquarters, Unknown Location, Russia, May 23rd, 2018

    Belka sat at a wooden desk in a semi-dark room, her eyes looking over maps on the table in front of her. Operational reports and news broadcasts flashed on the computer monitors in front of her.

    A sable in a green EME camouflage officer''s uniform entered the room, and the fox immediately stood to attention and saluted her superior. He had multicolored ribbons on his chest and star-shaped patches on his shoulders.

    ¡°General Hermonov!¡± Belka said.

    "At ease, Captain Morozova." The sable said, returning the salute. "I wanted to personally inform you that your recent actions in service of our cause have garnered a great deal of respect from the central council."

    "None of it would have been possible without your assistance and guidance. I truly admire your military and political skills. They have been an immense help to Blood Paw and the Russian Army."

    "The higher-ups are very fond of you. They admire your drive and dedication. You go out and push our cause with more enthusiasm and success than anyone else. You have done much for us, and your opinion is valued."

    "What I do, I do for Russia."

    "Speaking of which, your plan appears to have worked. The country is howling for war against NATO and the West. Like our primitive ancestors catching the smell of blood. Ultranationalist parties and groups have received a boost in support. There would be strong public support behind any retaliatory actions."

    Belka''s eyes lit up as the General continued.

    "Messages have been sent to our associates in China, North Korea, Belarus, and the rest of our allies. We have requested updates on their progress and capabilities."

    "Thank you very much for keeping me informed, sir."

    "I know you like to be aware of things, and I know you will appreciate what I''ve told you. Be sure to prepare yourself for phase 2."

 Countdown To War

    Krasnoyarsk, Russia, June 1st, 2018

    A convoy of black SUVs moved down the street through the Russian city, police motorcycles flanking the larger cars. The street was devoid of mammals, cleared before the convoy came through.

    An older male tiger in a black suit sat inside the rear of one of the SUVs. He adjusted his blue tie and turned to the snow leopard sitting on his left. The other mammal wore gray dress pants, a white button-down shirt, a bulletproof vest, and a holster with a sidearm.

    "Oleg, give me another rundown on the security measures for this event." The tiger said, checking the small Russian flag pin on his chest.

    "Da, Mr.President," Oleg responded with a nod. "Standard layout of Federal Security Service agents throughout the area surrounding the stage. We also have agents inside the buildings around the square. If our perimeter is breached, we will return to our vehicles and fall back to our safe house on Gagarin Street."

    "How secure is this safe house?"

    "It''s disguised as a technology company office undergoing renovations. There are security cameras and guards dressed in uniforms with fake brand names. Additionally, I have a direct line to the safehouse commander."

    "I knew I could count on you."

    "Mr.President?" Said a female otter in a suit, sitting on the tiger''s right side. "As your advisor and friend, I would like to recommend that you use today''s public appearance to try and tamper some of the calls for vengeance after the massacre in Velikiye Luki."

    "If it was truly an operation orchestrated by the West, then we must not give in to those powers from abroad who would seek to harm our country or its citizens. We must be allowed to maintain our security and safety. But the incident is still being investigated, and a more measured approach is the correct way forward for now, as opposed to the extreme calls for decisive action coming from both citizens and politicians."

    "What about the results of the report regarding Dushanbe?"

    "This is a tense time for Russia¡­ sigh¡­ If the people knew the truth of what happened in Dushanbe, as was outlined in your report, then they would be whipped into a frenzy and could further rally behind extremist elements."

    The car slowed to a stop, and the driver spoke up.

    "We''re here, sir."

    Outside, crowds of mammals were visible, some holding Russian flags. Many of them were cheering and waving.

    "Lev, be ready," Oleg said to the male wolverine in the passenger''s seat. The wolverine nodded and checked over his uniform, which was the same as Oleg''s.

    The right rear door of the car opened, and the advisor stepped out, followed by the President. Citizens started cheering louder, and reporters began taking pictures as the tiger waved to his supporters.

    "Command, Alpha is on the move," Lev said into his radio as he and Oleg exited the vehicle and took up position on the President''s flanks. The pair kept their eyes on the civilians, scanning for any sign of a security threat, their paws never straying far from their holsters.

    Guards and other security service agents had cleared a pathway through the crowd towards a large wooden stage. Surrounding the cobblestone city square were various stone, brick, or concrete buildings, only two or three stories high.

    As the President walked forward, waving to his supporters, reporters with notepads and microphones yelled out questions.

    "Mr.President! How do you feel about the Liberal Democratic Party expanding its majority of seats in the State Duma? Are you worried about their connections to the far-right Great Russia party? Do you think the Russian people are favoring more extreme elements in government?"

    "I look forward to working with all members of the state Duma." The tiger responded.

    "What about the unconfirmed sightings of mammals tied to ultra-nationalist organizations? Including one Belka Morozova?" Another reporter called out.

    "I have directed the FSB to examine these rumors, but I won''t comment regarding ongoing investigations."

    "Mr.President, what do you have to say regarding the ongoing rumors of American soldiers engaging Russian and Chinese forces in the Tajikistan capital a few months ago?"

    "As I said, I will not comment on ongoing investigations."

    "What about the massacre that was believed to have been carried out by Western forces in Velikiye Luki?"

    "My heart goes out to all the poor mammals who lost loved ones. I can assure you, Russia is working to achieve justice for those who were killed that horrific day."

    The President climbed up a small set of wooden stairs to the stage, moving over to a podium with the golden Russian coat of arms emblazoned on the front.

    Lev and Oleg stood off to the sides of the stage, their eyes continually scanning the surrounding environment. Their muscles tensed, and they were ready to act if need be. A few other security agents wielded submachine guns, with pistols as backup.

    "I would like to thank all of you for attending today''s rally!" the President said, prompting a chorus of cheers from the assembled mammals. I am grateful for your support. Because of you, we have been able to enact policies that strengthen our great country¡ªour infrastructure, logistics and production capabilities, and, of course, our armed forces!"

    There was another wave of cheering, and some mammals even called out the age-old battle cry of "URA!"

    "Informed by our failings in recent conflicts against insurgents and terrorists, my administration has overhauled the Russian military. We have trimmed away the corruption and incompetence that have plagued our armed forces. Due to my reforms, our fighting men and women are stronger than ever!"

    Cheers erupted from the crowd yet again.

    "I have also improved relationships with our closest allies, such as the People''s Republic of China. And I have fostered vital new ties with countries across the world. Countries that I hope will grow to become the best of friends. Unfortunately, tensions with the Western world have never been higher. This is a dangerous time for us. While there have been cases of Western interference in Russian affairs, we must not let that distract us! We must be vigilant against all threats, both from abroad and at home! I would like to also draw attention to-"

    The President was cut off by a rapid chattering of bangs from a street near the square. Ears stood on end as mammals turned to face the direction the sound was coming from.

    "Those are gunshots!" Oleg yelled before his radio burst to life with a panicked voice.

    "This is Team 4! We''re under heavy fire! We need backup now!"

    "Perimeter has been breached! Perimeter has been breached!" Oleg yelled, racing onto the stage and grabbing the President by his right shoulder. Lev took position on the President''s right side as the crowd began to break and flee in all directions.

    Security service agents drew their sidearms and flicked off the safeties as the President was escorted back towards the vehicles.

    "Lev! Get the door!" Oleg yelled.

    The wolverine ran forward, but just before he could reach the car, a pair of rockets shot out of the windows of a nearby building. The weapons impacted the stopped convoy of vehicles, enveloping them in fire and killing the drivers.

    Lev was thrown onto his back as the sound of gunfire drew closer.

    A squad of mammals appeared, brandishing weapons and firing at the security agents as they advanced. They wore dark gray sweaters and black or tan pants, with pale bone-colored tactical gear, including pouches and vests. Some had black tactical gear, ammo bandoliers, plastic protective glasses, or thin headsets with microphones.

    "Hostiles incoming!"

    The terrorists threw grenades and bombs at remaining vehicles, managing to gun down a handful of security agents and presidential staff.

    Lev aimed his pistol and fired at the attackers, dropping three of them to the pavement in quick succession.

    Although they had sustained some losses, the security forces managed to dispatch the remaining squad of mammals.

    "Vehicles are destroyed!" Oleg said as Lev stood up. "What happened to our agents in those buildings?!"

    "This is an exposed position; we need to get out of here." The wolverine noted, picking up an AK and ammo pouch from one of the dead terrorists.

    "Diamond formation! Protect the President! We''ll leg it to the safe house!"

    The President, his otter advisor, and a squad of five security agents moved into one of the streets connected to the square. The agents kept their pistols and submachine guns leveled as they navigated the tight streets.

    "In the windows!" Someone yelled as attackers fired down from positions in second-story rooms. Gunfire bombarded the building, with those inside being killed or diving into cover.

    "This is team 2!" Came a voice through the radio. "Enemy is utilizing armored vehicles! I repeat, enemy is utilizing armored vehicles for transport!"

    "Safehouse, do you read?" Oleg said into his radio as the group kept moving down a large street. "Perimeter has been breached! Engage lockdown procedures!"

    "Affirmative Team 1! Engaging lockdown procedures!"

    The snow leopard tried to contact outside help.

    "HQ, come in; we need backup immediately!"

    But there was no response.

    "They must have begun cutting off our long-range comms."

    "How? We have a secure network!" Lev asked. "Watch out! Incoming at the end of the street!"

    A sizable armored SUV barreled down the pavement, coming to a stop before another squad of attackers burst out and engaged the group.

    Both sides yelled out battle cries or commands, mammals taking cover behind parked vehicles and opening fire. Two security agents stood right next to the President and provided cover. Bullets tore through parked car windows and fragmented on stone structures.

    Lev charged forward, surprising the terrorists and using his AK to gun down a mammal standing in the open. He rounded a parked car and fired the rest of his magazine into a deer with a light machine gun, who had been taking cover. The deer was thrown onto his back as lead tore into his chest.

    "Clear!" The wolverine yelled before Oleg barked another set of orders.

    "Safehouse is just on the next street over! We need to move!"

    The group dashed through an alleyway, and Oleg pointed to a large, nondescript building with heavy-duty doors, which they hastily approached.

    "That''s it right there! Watch the ends of the street and the buildings behind us! We don''t-"

    The security team leader was cut off as his radio came to life.

    "This is team 3! We are engaging with enemy forces on Oktyabrskaya Street! Is the President secure?"

    "Safehouse, come in. We''re right outside," Oleg said. "Safehouse, do you read?"

    The heavy-duty doors opened and out walked Ultranationalist Belka Morozova, flanked by hostile soldiers.

    The fox aimed her pistol and put a few shots into Lev''s chest, breaking through his vest. The wolverine fell to the ground as the ultranationalists gunned down the rest of the security service agents before they could train their weapons on the hostiles.

    Writing on the pavement in agony, Lev could see Oleg''s form lying nearby, sitting in a pool of red with a hole in his forehead.

    Two of the ultranationalists grabbed the President and pushed him forward toward the white-furred vixen.

    "Mr.President, I''m glad I''m finally able to meet you," Belka said in a cheery voice. That''s a very nice suit. That blue tie complements your eyes. It looks like something you would see a movie star wear."

    Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.

    The tiger''s eyes widened as the mammal''s cheerful demeanor was suddenly replaced by stone-cold seriousness.

    "Do you know who I am?" The fox asked.

    ¡°¡­.Yes... Belkaa Morozova.¡±

    "Sorry to say, but those FSB agents you sent didn''t make it." She lowered her head and put a paw on her chest. "Unfortunately, It''s a hazardous job after all. However, I must commend your security agents for their excellent work in getting you here. I thought my soldiers would have shot them dead at the square!"

    "You killed all of them¡­ are you and your kind nothing more than a stain on Mother Russia?"

    "We are a stain? You are too blind to see what potential Russia has to be. You let the West interfere in our affairs and ignore the wishes of the people. Stronger leadership is required to show the world the true strength of this country. To show that we won''t be bullied any longer! For Russia to reclaim its true glory!"

    "What do you want?"

    "I''m not playing; I want it all. Emergency funding sources, state secrets, classified intelligence, equipment reserves, and military records. And I want access to your offshore account, which we know you have. And¡­ the cherry on top¡­"

    Belka raised her pistol so it was level with her line of sight.

    "I want the launch codes."

    "You''re a madmammal!"

    "Please don''t make it difficult. Once Russia stands triumphant over Europe and the Americans, then we will see who is truly mad! You''re lucky that you are worth more to us alive than dead. Take him away. We leave immediately."

    Belka looked down and noticed Lev still alive, rolling on the ground and clutching his chest. She rectified this by putting a bullet in his skull as the President was led away.

    A wolf hurried over, holding a cell phone.

    "Ma''am, I have received word from HQ that Admiral Shen just called from Beijing." The wolf said. "The hacking equipment we requested is ready. He has managed to turn other high-level military and political officials to his cause."

    "Great, we''re making real progress here," Belka responded. "With his assistance, we can help all of Russia and China. Did they say anything about the other nations we are on friendly terms with?"

    "Holding strong. Belarus and North Korea, among others, have integrated nicely into the Collective Security Treaty Organization."

    The ultranationalists climbed into a set of bland SUVs stashed in an alleyway behind the safehouse. The President was bundled into the second vehicle in the convoy before the SUVs started up and drove off down the street, with Belka sitting in the lead car''s passenger seat.

    Her wolf advisor sat in the back, continuing to relay information.

    "Additionally, Admiral Shen says he and his staff are beginning initial maneuvers for Operation New Dawn. Their ships are ready to leave port."

    "Excellent; last I heard, our assets were doing the same. I will require a more detailed update from command as soon as possible." The fox responded. But for now, let''s get back home."

    She gazed into the rearview mirror at the car following them, knowing that inside sat a great asset in her and her comrades'' fight to bring prosperity to Mother Russia and crush those countries that dared oppose them.

    Presidio of Monterey, US Army Base, California, United States, July 4th, 2018

    In a large, dimly lit briefing room, mammals sat at long tables made of metal and laminate. Most of them wore military fatigues or even more formal dress uniforms. One mammal in attendance was delta force operator and combat coyote Cecilia Walker. Unlike the others, she was only wearing the forest camouflage pants of her uniform and a dull gray shirt with black lettering across the chest that said "without equal," along with the Delta Force insignia. Sitting next to her in fatigues was her friend, Stryker Jackson, the mule leaning on his elbow as his eyes remained looking ahead toward the front of the room where a projection screen had been set up.

    A pale skinned human in a lieutenant''s uniform was standing next to the screen. Wearing a dress uniform and looking over a clipboard. His nametag read ''Adams.''

    "Thank you all for coming," Lieutenant Adams said. "I will make this quick because I am sure you want to return to your Independence Day celebrations. As high-level military personnel and special forces squad leaders, the top brass wants you to know this information to prepare for possible future military actions."

    There were a few mods and private comments from the personnel present.

    "I am sure you all recall the attack on the Russian president last month." Adams continued. "Unfortunately, he is still missing, and the state Duma has appointed what they call a temporary leader to the presidency. However, this mammal will likely become the permanent leader of Russia. We have identified several key personnel as persons of interest in both the Russian government, military, and ultranationalist organizations."

    Almost a dozen images of mammals appeared onscreen, along with name tags. Some of them wore military uniforms, while others wore suits.

    "Also, one particular mammal I should mention is a Russian army captain known as¡­"

    The human double-checked a piece of paper before continuing. He tapped a small clicker, and an image of a white-furred vixen with piercing blue eyes appeared on the screen.

    "¡­Belka Morozova. Allegedly, she had a brief career as an actor and later served in the VDV. It is believed that while not especially high in the command structure of the Russian army or ultranationalist groups, she has a great deal of influence and is highly respected. Undertaking missions and pushing their goals forward. A go-getter, so to speak."

    A few murmurs went throughout the assembled mammals as Cecilia rubbed her chin in contemplation before raising her paw.

    "Yes?" Lieutenant Adams asked.

    "Can you tell us more about her?"

    "Certainly, her personality is described as reserved, yet she genuinely cares for those she loves and respects. Capable of great feats of determination, indicative of a high degree of self-control. Reports indicate that she puts the pedal to the metal when the going gets tough. Very fond of mother Russia, partly due to ingrained patriotism, combined with her many years spent serving the country. However, having said that it is unknown when precisely she became associated with ultranationalist groups or why. Our analysts have hypothesized a mental breakdown, but there is little evidence to back that theory up."

    "What about what''s happening in China?" Another mammal in the room asked.

    "I''m glad you asked; that''s what I was getting too. Just like with Russia, we have identified a number of key figures in regard to recent developments. But again, there are some I would like to highlight."

    The rabbit clicked the remote again, and another image appeared onscreen. This one consisted of an older-looking snow leopard with pale fur dressed in a Chinese officer''s uniform. His eyes were a dull green.

    "This is Admiral Shen of the People''s Liberation Army Navy," Jacob said. "He has an enormous amount of sway in Chinese political and military circles."

    The lieutenant clicked the remote again, and another picture came up. It was one of a female human dressed in an army officer''s uniform.

    She had short black hair, with an eyepatch covering her right eye.

    "And this is Colonel Liao. She is the Admiral''s right hand, serving to carry out his orders and acting as his second in command."

    "Do Shen and Liao have ultranationalist beliefs similar to Belka and the others you highlighted?" A mammal asked.

    "Yes, they do. In fact, Admiral Shen is believed to have communicated with key Russian ultranationalist figures, Alongside communications with other leaders in countries around the world who support them."

    The human paused for a moment before speaking again.

    "Are there any questions?"

    The assembled mammals stayed silent, unable to come up with questions or not overtly curious about the topic.

    "Now I understand how my teachers felt when they asked us questions in class¡­" Adams thought to himself before clearing his throat and speaking. "Currently, there are no plans for military operations, but if an action is carried out, you will be prepared. Thank you for attending, and enjoy the holiday."

    There was a set of dull screeching as chairs were pushed back and mammals stood up, beginning to leave. Adams turned off the projector as Cecilia and Stryker walked out of the room, heading down a hallway with drab drywall and a tiled floor.

    "Cecilia, did you have to wear THAT to the intelligence briefing?" The mule asked.

    "What''s wrong with it? It has my unit motto on it."

    "You could have worn something a bit more formal. You''re really not gonna let anything stop you from enjoying the holiday, aren''t you?"

    "Well, not until that ceremony later that we were instructed to attend."

    "Oh yeah, refresh my memory; what''s that about again?"

    "Local 4th of July celebration. We''re supposed to be there with another unit as part of the festivities. You know, patriotic thing, show off the troops, inspire people."

    "Ah, standard military parade stuff."

    "Exactly, although I don''t think there''ll be enough of us for a parade."

    "Are we supposed to have all our gear?"

    "Yep, we''re supposed to look as authentic as possible. Or so I was told. Though, let''s keep the ammo and weapons locked in the Humvee."

    "Seems prudent."

    "Anyway, if you''ll excuse me, I have to go meet the two newest members of Opal squad." The Sergeant said, checking her watch. "They should have arrived by now."

    "Take care, Cecilia."

    "Later, Stryker."

    The mule walked off down another hallway while Cecilia exited the building onto a large paved tarmac that sat between two structures. The area was full of military personnel celebrating the Fourth of July. Some mammals played with baseballs or squirt guns, while others just chatted with fellow soldiers.

    Large white coolers with beverages sat nearby, Cecilia grabbing a red-colored can of soda out of one such container.

    She popped the tab on the can and raised it to her mouth.

    "Ah, Damnit!" The canine said, a few drops spilling onto her shirt.

    She balled up the soaked fabric and raised it to her muzzle, licking off the sugary beverage.

    "Hey, Cecilia!" A tiger yelled as the coyote walked across the tarmac. "Happy 4th!"

    "Happy 4th Jerry!"

    "We still on for cards later?"

    "Damn straight."

    "Oo-rah."

    The coyote ducked as two mammals ran by, pelting each other with water gun blasts. Her gaze turned to a sheep, a gazelle, and a badger huddled around a spot on the ground.

    Suddenly, there was a series of rapid pops and multicolored sparks as the mammals jumped backward.

    "Haha! Watch out!" The badger yelled between laughs.

    "Hey, be careful with those firecrackers! They can blow your finger off just as good as any grenade."

    "Don''t worry, Walker! That''s why I got Paulie from EOD here."

    Cecilia chuckled and noticed two younger mammals walking towards her, dressed in standard US army fatigues. The first one was a female spotted hyena with dark fur that was almost purple, including similarly colored hair of medium length.

    The second mammal was a male lion with hazelnut-colored eyes. The only visible part of his mane was a short clump of bright red hair on the top of his head.

    Both were probably in their early 30s, though Cecilia couldn''t pin down a more specific age.

    "Are you Sergeant Cecilia Walker?" The hyena inquired.

    "Yep, that''s me."

    Both mammals stood to attention and raised their paws in a salute before speaking. The hyena first, followed by the lion.

    "Corporal Jayleen Oakly."

    "Corporal Liam Felhart."

    Recognizing the names, the Sergeant returned the salute.

    "At ease." She said, shaking paws with the other mammals. "I''ll be the first to welcome you to Opal squad. I must say I was impressed with your skill sets when reading your dossiers."

    "Thank you, sir," Jayleen responded.

    "I''ll have to introduce you to the other members of our squad. Let''s see¡­"

    Cecilia looked into the distance to spot a rabbit holding a water bottle and chatting briefly with a few other mammals.

    "That''s Jacob Zalman," she continued, pointing at the mule. "He''s our sniper and recon expert. We also have two other mammals in our squad. Stryker Jackson and Livia Winters. Livia brings her engineering experience to the table, while Stryker is skilled in heavy weapons and support duties."

    "So that''s the rest of the squad¡­ What about you?" Liam asked.

    "Me? I''m a military mammal. I eat, live, and breathe army."

    "We look forward to serving with you, sergeant," Jayleen added.

    "And I look forward to seeing you in action. Now, you two arrived just in time."

    "To celebrate the 4th of July?"

    "Eh¡­ in a way. We''re supposed to attend a local 4th of July celebration soon. You know, like a military showcase."

    "Like fleet week?" Liam asked.

    "Like fleet week. So grab your kit, and let''s get ready to go."

    "Yes, sir!"

    International Space Station, Low Earth Orbit, July 4th, 2018

    A series of shining metallic cylinders and rectangular white modules hung in the void of space. Orange and blue radiators extended from the station, shimmering in the glow of sunlight.

    The gargantuan shape of the Earth took up half of one''s field of vision. The blue marble home to everyone who had ever existed was impossible to miss.

    Jutting out from the ISS, a mechanical arm had grabbed ahold of a satellite, holding it in place while a pair of astronauts worked on it.

    The first mammal was a female sheep with black wool, operating a silver-colored handheld screw gun pressed against the satellite''s interior mechanisms. Across her pale white suit were various patches; one was positioned on her chest and said, "STG Curry."

    There were two patches on her shoulder, one of which was an American flag, the second of which said "US Air Force."

    The sheep flipped up her polarized visor and examined her work.

    "What do you think, Victoria?" The Sergeant asked, turning to the red fox across from her. "Not bad if I say so myself."

    The red fox was dressed in a similar suit, gripping golden-colored handles positioned on the satellite. The patch on her chest read "SPC Sparks."

    "Yep¡­ good job, Cindy." The vixen said, nodding and lifting up her visor. "Is this one of the satellites damaged by the high-speed debris cloud from that Chinese rocket accident?"

    "No, that cloud is in geosynchronous orbit, not low earth orbit. All those damaged satellites will need repairs, though."

    "Guess we got our work cut out for us. But hey, that''s what they pay us for." Her gaze caught a dull gray cylinder moving from the Earth below towards the space station, lowering her visor as she looked in the direction of the sun. "Hey, look. There''s our supply rocket."

    The sheep lowered her visor again and turned to face the oncoming vehicle.

    "Ah yes, it''s a Russian Progress spacecraft."

    Cindy remembered what she had learned during her training about rocket models and types. The Progress rocket was the automated version of the Soyuz. It was unpiloted until it reached orbit, at which point the Russian Mission Control Center outside Moscow would take over for the last leg of the journey.

    "This is just a cargo run, right?" Victoria asked.

    "Yep, just food and research equipment."

    "I''m glad the tensions down on earth aren''t affecting what we''re doing up here."

    "Same here; there''s a reason it''s called the International Space Station after all. Alright, now let''s finish up here. Hand me the-"

    Cindy was cut off by a voice coming in over the pair''s radios.

    "Sergeant Curry, this is Houston, come in, over."

    "This is Sergeant Curry; we''re reading you, Houston, over."

    "Cindy, directing you and specialist Sparks to return to the station; they''ll need all paws on deck to unload cargo from the Progress rocket. Over."

    "Affirmative Houston. Over." Cindy stowed the screw gun on her belt and spoke into her radio again. "Derek, prep airlock B for us."

    "Affirmative Cindy." Said another voice, this one coming from the nearby ISS.

    The sheep turned to her companion.

    "Come on, Vic, let''s get back."

    The pair let go of the satellite and began to float through space, using their suit''s thruster packs to move parallel to the station. The Progress rocket was clearly visible, slowly lining itself up with a docking port on the station. The vehicle''s thrusters let loose small pale-colored bursts as the spacecraft maneuvered into position.

    "Airlock B is ready for your arrival."

    "Roger that, Derek."

    Cindy and Victoria could hear an astronaut on the station communicating with a pilot down on Earth through their radios.

    "5 meters. Progress, maintain course."

    "2 meters¡­"

    "You''re locked in Progress; standby for seal check."

    The sheep and fox entered through a hatch on the station, with Victoria shutting the entryway behind her.

    "Pressurizing airlock," Cindy said, both mammals flipping up their polarized visors as the sheep pressed a few buttons on a control panel. There was a hiss of gas as air flooded into the compartment.

    "Atmospheric seal is good, well done, Progress." Came a voice through the radio. "Station crew, payload is clear for unloading."

    A green light came on, and Cindy opened the entryway into the ISS interior. The pair moved through the station, passing computer terminals, pale bulkheads, and storage lockers.

    They entered a large module divided by a wall with a thick plexiglass window halfway up the barrier. An open hatch sat in the center of the wall, with astronauts in blue jumpsuits on the other side.

    "Cindy, Vic, once you take off your suits, can you give us a paw with the unloading?" Asked a tiger floating nearby.

    A rabbit astronaut floated over to the airlock to the supply rocket and reached for the handle. But before he could open it, the door barged open on its own, and a deer in an off-white space suit came through. His suit had blue lines and a patch with the Russian flag, and he carried a PP-2000 SMG with a white and black exterior.

    The rabbit backed up, and the deer began yelling as more mammals wearing similar suits emerged from the rocket hatch. The interlopers brandished their weapons as the Americans raised their paws.

    "Hey! Who are you?!"

    "Lapy na golovu!"

    "What are you doing?!"

    One of the cosmonauts pulled the trigger on his gun, the shots tearing through the rabbit astronaut.

    Vix instinctively shut the hatch and locked it, the tiger on the other side pounding against the metal.

    "Open it! Please! No!"

    The tiger spasmed as bullets racked his body while Cindy and Victoria backed away in horror.

    "Houston! We have hostile contacts on the ISS!" Cindy yelled. "Repeat, we have hostile contacts on the ISS!"

    "Sergeant! Can you identify the enemy contacts!?" Houston responded.

    "Russian cosmonauts! They were aboard the Progress rocket!"

    "They just violated every treaty we had regarding space!" Victoria chimed in.

    ¡°¡­Houston copies all¡­¡±

    "Sparks! Come on!" Cindy said. "We need to move!"

    The radio crackled to life with a panicked voice.

    "We have Russian forces in the command module! We have Russian forces in the command module! PLEASE! DON''T SHOOT! GACK!"

    Alarms blared as the two moved through the station, approaching a junction. An otter cosmonaut rounded the corner and slammed into Cindy. The sheep grabbed his SMG and started wrestling with the Russian as the pair spun around in the zero-gravity environment.

    "Shoot him, Cindy!" Victoria yelled.

    The sheep managed to push the gun''s barrel towards the otter and grab the trigger.

    The bullets tore through the cosmonaut''s helmet, shattering the faceplate to pieces and plastering the interior of the compartment with a red smear.

    Cindy steadied herself and turned to her companion.

    "Vic, look out!"

    The sheep raised the SMG and gunned down a cosmonaut behind the fox. The vixen turned around in shock as the Russian began to float lifelessly through the compartment.

    "Grab his gun! Quick!" Cindy yelled.

    "You don''t have to tell me twice."

    "Let''s get aboard one of the Dragon modules and get the hell back to Earth!"

    "Sergeant Curry¡­" Houston said. "Russian forces are attempting to use the ISS communications system to get into our networks! I say again, Russian forces are attempting to use ISS systems to gain entry to defense networks!"

    "Look out! On the ceiling!" Victoria shouted.

    Two cosmonauts climbed into the compartment from a hatch on the ceiling, raising their weapons. But the astronauts were faster, gunning down the Russians before they could shoot.

    "Storage module is just ahead," Cindy said.

    The pair advanced into a large module filled with square-shaped storage containers made of durable fabric. Three cosmonauts occupied the room, one of them wrestling with an astronaut as they floated in the air. The Russian kicked the American into a pair of large silver cylinders before filling him with holes. Before Cindy and Victoria could engage, the silver cylinders exploded in a bright orange fireball that filled half the room.

    There was a moment of tension as everything floated in the compartment for the briefest of seconds before Cindy and Victoria felt themselves being pulled. The two Americans, the Russians, and all the storage containers in the room were sent hurtling out into the void of space as the room''s atmosphere rushed out.

    The sheep held onto her weapon and covered her face with her arms as she banged against a radiator panel before finally being able to steady herself. Around her, storage containers and bits of the space station hung in the vacuum like snow flakes. A few holes had been punctured in the exterior radiators by flying debris. The Russian cosmonauts had also survived the explosive decompression, but before they could get their bearings, Vix gunned them down.

    "You alright, Cindy?" The fox asked.

    "Yes¡­ they must have shot the liquid oxygen tanks." Cindy said, panting.

    An urgent call from Houston came in over the comms system.

    "Sergeant, the enemy is using the station''s terminals to infiltrate our Notice to Fly System and Air Traffic Control Networks! Those systems are vital for air travel across the country! Enemy daemons and worms are already inside the network! You need to disable the exterior comms array before they can further corrupt our systems!"

    "Copy Houston! We''ll shut those bastards up!"

    Readying their weapons, the pair floated towards the exterior of the command module and a bundle of antennas and receiving dishes mounted on the station.

    The fox and sheep braced their SMGs against their shoulders and opened fire. A dull ''brrt'' sound was audible through vibrations as the guns cycled.

    Debris broke from the sparking comms array as electricity arced across the machine''s surface. With a final flash of light, the main section of the device disconnected, and Houston spoke again.

    "Great job! Be advised, audio may be choppy. We can''t use the array as a relay now."

    "Copy Houston," Cindy responded. "Come on, Vic, let''s get to the dragon module!"

    The pair floated back to the station, heading toward a capsule positioned on the underside of the ISS. The capsule was cylinder-shaped, with a sleek white body and a slight curve towards the front of the craft.

    The wolf and fox climbed in through the exterior hatch and sat down, stowing their weapons next to them.

    "Pressurizing the cabin," Cindy said, taking control of the vehicle.

    "Sergeant, be advised." Houston said, "We cannot accurately predict your landing location. You could come down in dangerous territory."

    "It''s better than waiting up here for the Russians to find us or for our oxygen to run out!"

    "There couldn''t have been that many cosmonauts aboard that rocket." Victoria chimed in.

    "Progress rockets can carry nearly 4000 pounds of cargo, I think they definitely outnumber us!"

    "Feeding you descent vectors," Houston said. "We''ll do everything we can to get you home safe."

    The dragon pulled away from the station and turned towards the Earth, beginning to descend into the planet''s atmosphere. The outside of the capsule glowed orange from friction with the atmosphere as the craft plummeted downwards.

    "We''re coming in too hot!" Cindy said. "Attempting to level out!"

    "Sergeant Curry, specialist Sparks," came the voice through the radio. "We''re getting reports¡­ this is happening all over the world¡­ my god¡­"

    Victoria covered her face with her paw as she felt the immense heat radiating into the compartment.

    "Sergeant Curry, Specialist Sparks. We''re losing your connection," Houston said, the radio crackling and the voice on the other end growing faint as the temperature on the craft rose.

    "Do you read? Come in... Sergeant Curry?"

 DEFCON 1

    United States Strategic Command, Codename: "STRATCOM," Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska, USA, July 4th, 2018

    Rows of desks and computer screens filled the large, darkened room. Mammals sat down, eyes fixed on incoming data and reports from worldwide. A large central screen took up a whole wall and would typically show a satellite view of the entire globe. However, it was currently gray, with superimposed text stating, "Please stand by." The other three walls in the room were made of glass, behind which were multiple floors of individual offices.

    A high-level general sat in one of the leading offices, a microphone always present at his side.

    "Is most of our Defense Support network still inoperable?" The General said in a gruff yet firm voice.

    "Yes, sir." a staffer responded, gesturing to the main screen. "We are basically blind in one eye. We only have limited monitoring capabilities in focused areas. The program lost more than a handful of satellites from the debris cloud caused by that Chinese rocket malfunction."

    "Is it related to the issues we have been having with our electronic monitoring and defensive systems?"

    "Unknown, sir, but it is possible. The issues with FAA networks and NOTAM are affecting both military and civilian aircraft. Hundreds of Commercial Flights have been grounded, and we''re working as fast as possible to restore normal operational capacity. Teams are proceeding to look at the infrastructure on the ground."

    "Understood, keep me posted."

    "Sir, one of our on-the-ground monitoring posts appears to be picking up something near Alaska, but we are having trouble confirming."

    The main screen came to life, showing a satellite view of the coast of Alaska, where dozens of red dots were overlaid onto the map. Slowly crossing the Bering Strait towards the American side.

    The general spoke into his microphone.

    "Sector 11, be aware we are detecting multiple bogies in your AO," STRATCOM informed.

    "Sector 11 to STRATCOM, be aware we have no bogies on our scopes. Experiencing system faults, attempting to rectify."

    The satellite image on the main screen changed, this time showing the state of California. More red dots were present over the state coast.

    "Sector 8, do you copy?"

    There was a pause, and then a screaming voice came over the comms system.

    "This is the California NORAD monitoring station! They''re all over us!"

    "Sector 8! Repeat!"

    "We have visuals on hostile aircraft in large volumes! Chinese types! Airdrop formation!"

    "Affirmative! Dispatching local units to intercept! Do you have confirmation that the aircraft are of Chinese make and model?"

    "Sir! New call coming in from Europe!" A staff member said. "Patching it through now!"

    The screen shifted to a view from an exterior camera mounted on an aircraft. A vast countryside of green trees and fields was visible below the plane, with text near the bottom left corner indicating this was Poland. However, multiple red-colored signatures were visible on the ground below.

    "This is Lieutenant Nowak of NATO enhanced forward battlegroup Orzysz! We are under heavy assault by Russian and Belarusian ground and air units!"

    "Lieutenant Nowak, this is STRATCOM! We read you! Repeat your last!"

    "We''re under attack from Russian and Belarusian military forces! My unit is down to 65% combat effectiveness! We need immediate assistan- AHHH!"

    The communication was cut off by scraping metal and then static.

    "Lieutenant! Come in!"

    "Sir! Call from Houston!" A staffer yelled. "Hostile Russian units are aboard the international space station! They''re massacring our astronauts!"

    Bright flashes of gunfire passed by the plane on screen, and the feed cut off. Replaced by the text reading, "Please stand by."

    Another voice could be heard over the radio.

    "This is London! Russian fighters and bombers have penetrated our airspace! RAF forces are attempting to engage! We''re encountering severe errors with our combat systems!"

    There was static, and a new voice could be heard over the radio.

    "This is ROC Command! Chinese bombers and fighter jets are hitting our cities! 40 percent of defense systems are down! Repeat, 40 percent of our defense systems are down!"

    "Put all current alerts on screen!" The general ordered.

    Various location names flashed onscreen, each one indicating an incoming notice from a country or city. Calls came in from the Pacific to Scandinavia, from Western nations and allied countries all over the globe.

    "Contact the White House and Brussels! Move alert state to DEFCON 1! Repeat, move alert state to DEFCON 1!"

    Oakland Suburbs, California, United States, July 4th, 2018

    It was a relatively simple monument: a series of stone monoliths with bronze plaques inscribed with the names of fallen soldiers. Surrounding the rock landmark were family homes and tall trees that thrived in the region''s semi-arid environment.

    Over 3 dozen mammals had turned out to celebrate the 4th of July. They had set up grills, picnic tables, and blankets to enjoy the warm weather. Even a school bus had brought in a group of mammals from further afield. Even a local politician, a mountain lion dressed in a blue-gray blazer, was speaking to potential voters.

    His eye caught a boxy green truck pulling up, an FMTV A2, full of a squad of US soldiers.

    "Ah! I want to thank the esteemed members of our armed forces for attending our little celebration!"

    The squad hopped out and stood to attention, a few mammals clapping while others used the opportunity to take pictures.

    A Humvee pulled up, along with a M1030M1 motorcycle.

    Cecilia, Stryker, Jacob, and Livia climbed out of the larger vehicle while Liam and Jayleen dismounted the smaller transport.

    Everyone had on standard light green US Army fatigues, with tactical gear, vests, and pouches for items. However, there was a bit of uniform variation. Stryker had goggles raised on his helmet and ammo and wore a significant amount of pouches and Kevlar padding.

    Jacob was wearing a camouflaged sniper hood made of tough fabric, which draped from the top of his head to his shoulders.

    Liam wore a high-cut US army helmet, saying the light headgear was less hindering and helped him maintain quick reaction times on the battlefield. He had extra padding around his knees and shoulders while a bandolier crossed his chest.

    Jayleen''s battle dress included a defibrillator and related paraphernalia, such as scissors and a medical kit emblazoned with a red cross. She wore a simple patrol cap with holes that allowed her ears to poke through.

    Meanwhile, Livia wore a dark green baseball cap and a headset. Her kit contained dozens of bits of equipment, from wrenches to acetylene torches and small metal devices. Everything a combat engineer would require in battle.

    Cecilia still had her tan beret atop her head, the hat sporting a small patch with the Delta Force logo. Being the squad leader, her kit included a portable radio receiver with a short antenna stored in a pack on her back.

    "Alright, mammals!" Cecilia said, adjusting her uniform. "You know the drill, act respectable, and if someone asks how they sign up, direct them to the army website or the nearest recruiting station."

    "You got it, Sergeant," Stryker said.

    "Hey, don''t think we got to do proper introductions yet since these two took the motorcycle here."

    The coyote gestured to her lion and hyena squadmates.

    ¡°Jacob , Livia, Stryker, this is Liam and Jayleen. Liam, Jayleen, this is Jacob , Livia, and Stryker.¡±

    The mammals reached out their paws and began to speak.

    "What''s your story?" Liam said, turning to the mule, who responded.

    "Well, my family has been serving this country for literal centuries. Military service is an expectation, that sorta thing. Hell, I''m named after an ancestor of mine who fought in World War 2."

    "Nice to meet you." Jayleen said, "I look forward to serving with you."

    The conversation was cut short by clapping as the mountain lion politician climbed onto a small wooden stage.

    "Thank you very much for attending, everyone! I look forward to enjoying the holiday celebrations with you! And thank you to the members of our armed forces for being here."

    The mountain lion gestured to the pair of army squads, prompting the mammals nearby to give them a round of applause.

    A pair of planes streaked overhead with a deafening howl, the attendees on the ground cheering and whooping.

    "Wow, I was unaware there would be an air show!" The mountain lion said excitedly.

    "Air show?" Cecilia said, confused. "I wasn''t informed of any air show."

    Looking up, she spotted a pale white fighter jet with a swept-wing design blazing through the skies overhead. As the airplane banked, a red star emblazoned on the tail could be seen.

    That was when her eyes caught something in the sky behind the swooping jet.

    Large transport aircraft filled the air, their bay doors open and dozens of parachutes floating to the ground below.

    "What are those?" Liam asked as Cecilia noticed the fighter jet pulling back around. It closed the distance to the mammals, and the coyote''s eyes widened as she recognized an aircraft coming in for an attack run.

    "Get to cover!" Cecilia yelled, Opal squad diving down near their Humvee.

    A missile dropped down from the jet and cut through the air, crashing into the monument and exploding. The blast killed the politician and his staff, blowing apart the monument into chunks of bronze and stone.

    Mammals began screaming and running for safety as Opal squad stood up and turned their eyes toward the sky.

    "What the hell was that?!" Livia said.

    "What''s with the transport aircraft?" Jayleen said. "They''re deploying airborne troopers!"

    "Look! They''re dropping armored vehicles!" Jacob noted, pointing to a tank exiting the back of one of the planes. It''s descent safely slowed by a trio of attached parachutes.

    "When in doubt, assume hostility!" Cecilia ordered. "Arm yourselves mammals! High alert! Repeat, high alert!"

    "I don''t know how much doubt there is after what just happened," Stryker said.

    Heading over to the Humvee and opening the trunk, Jacob and Cecilia pulled out a large heavy-duty plastic crate. Opening it to reveal a cache of weapons and ammo.

    Each mammal grabbed a primary weapon alongside a sidearm. Liam wielded a Mossberg shotgun, while Livia used a Mk 14 DMR.

    "Unidentified helicopter moving in!" Stryker shouted, inserting an ammo box into his M249 submachine gun.

    The helicopter had a rounded, fat-looking airframe with a green and black camouflage. At the very front of the craft was a jet-black spherical module that likely held sensors and guidance equipment.

    Jacob leveled his sniper rifle at the aircraft, looked through the scope, and spotted a red star on the side of the vehicle. The star had horizontal red rectangles connected on either side, while the entire symbol was outlined in yellow, with a yellow character in the star''s center.

    "Sir! Those are Chinese markings on that aircraft!" The rabbit said.

    "Pretty sure that was their jet that blew up the memorial," Stryker responded.

    The helicopter hovered nearby, ropes dropping from the transport compartment, and soldiers beginning to descend to the ground below. A sniper remained in the aircraft, taking shots at the Americans to cover his comrades.

    The soldiers wore dark black uniforms in some areas, with other portions of woodland camouflage. Pouches, harnesses, and vests across their bodies, carrying weapons and additional equipment.

    "Hostiles fast roping down!" Livia shouted.

    "Mammals! Form a perimeter!" Cecilia ordered. "Hold off those hostiles till those civilians get to safety!"

    Opal squad took up position, using their Humvee and other cars on the road as cover.

    The other squad of soldiers had armed themselves and were now busy directing civilians to their cars or onto the school bus.

    The squad of People''s Liberation Army soldiers leveled their weapons and advanced before peppering the parked vehicles with bullets.

    "Weapons free! Weapons free!"

    Civilians screamed and sprinted away as the Americans and Chinese soldiers began to engage. Both sides took cover behind cars, the glass windows shattering as bullets tore them apart.

    Stryker targeted the sniper in the helicopter, striking the mammal and causing him to fall out of the aircraft.

    The aircraft peeled away as Opal held their ground, the civilians and second squad of soldiers having almost evacuated.

    "Moving up!"

    Cecilia crouched and pushed towards the hostiles, parallel to the cars on the road. While two PLA troopers were busy focusing on her allies, she shot them dead.

    Her M4 Carbine ran out of ammo, and the coyote immediately swapped to her M9 Beretta and gunned down the last enemy soldier.

    "Enemies are KIA! Is everyone ok? Everyone alright? Sound off!" The Sergeant requested.

    "Took a hit!" Stryker said, clutching his arm.

    "Coming to you!" Jayleen said, reaching into her pouch to grab a bandage and syringe of painkillers. "It doesn''t look so bad. It only grazed you."

    "Thanks, doc."

    "Not a doc yet."

    The bus and other civilian vehicles, along with their escorting soldiers, could be seen moving away down the street, leaving Opal squad alone.

    "Civilians are clear!" Jacob said.

    "Ok, now is someone gonna tell me what the fuck happened?!"

    "Those were People''s Liberation Army soldiers! Chinese military."

    "Then¡­ those must be their planes, right?" Livia said.

    The squad looked up towards the sky at the planes deploying troops and cargo. Jayleen was the first to speak again.

    "So¡­ this an invasion then, isn''t it?"

    The squad''s radios crackled to life, and an authoritative voice came through.

    Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.

    "Opal squad, come in. Opal squad, this is US strategic command. Codename: STRATCOM."

    "Solid copy, we read you STRATCOM." The Sergeant said.

    "We''ve been unable to contact most units in your sector. Be advised we have hostile units all over your AO."

    "Affirmative STRATCOM, we have visual on enemy forces deploying via airdrop. Do we have any information about what''s going on?"

    "Negative Opal, we are trying to organize defensive efforts, but there''s a lot of confusion. You are to move through your AO and eliminate hostile forces. You have permission to engage any and all PLA units you encounter."

    "Understood, sir."

    "Good hunting, Opal."

    "Alright, mammals," Cecilia said before the squad set off into the suburbs. "Let''s show these bastards American might!"

    Oval Office, White House, Washington DC, United States, July 4th, 2018

    Half a dozen or so mammals in formal clothing sat on a pair of couches inside the Oval Office, engaging in polite conversation.

    One such aged mammal in a dark gray suit stood up and adjusted his tie before speaking to the assembled group.

    "I would like to thank you all for joining me today before we head out to join the Fourth of July celebrations on the National Mall." The President said. "This is our nation''s most important holiday, and I would like to-"

    The President was cut off as Secret Service agents with submachine guns and pistols stormed into the room, taking defensive positions around the office.

    A middle-aged advisor with round-frame glasses walked in and picked up the phone on the resolute desk.

    "Sir! You need to take this now!"

    "Excuse me." The President said, sitting at the desk and taking the phone before speaking.

    "Hello?"

    "Mr.President?"

    "Mr.Chairmen."

    "It''s happening, sir. They''re throwing everything they''ve got at us. A full-scale assault on us and our allies all across the world. Cuban warplanes are attacking our naval yards in Florida. Columns of North Korean tanks are rolling across the DMZ. Hostile forces even attacked the International Space Station. War declarations just arrived from Russia and China, among others."

    "My god¡­." The President said, bowing his head and massaging his temples.

    "PLA troops landed in California in an amphibious assault, in conjunction with airborne landings and airstrikes behind our lines."

    "How did we not pick up on this? How did they get past the 9th carrier strike group?"

    "Unknown, sir. We are still investigating. The initial theory is that they may have hacked into and interfered with our defensive systems. Possibly utilizing spies or infiltrators to access equipment and infrastructure on the ground. Enemy forces on the ISS did attempt to use the station''s built-in communication systems to gain further access to our networks but were thwarted. However we also believe that the Chinese took advantage of mammalitarian crisis in the region to draw our attention and military assets. And that the recent rocket accident was not an accident at all."

    "What are you saying? That they purposefully created that high-speed debris cloud? To destroy our satellites or force them to be diverted to a safer location?"

    "Precisely. Putting it frankly, sir, they may have just got the drop on us."

    "So this is it then? The diplomats and politicians have failed. And now it''s up to the soldiers and generals."

    "I''m afraid so, Mr.President. American and NATO divisions are undergoing full mobilization as we speak. I recommend you get to the secure bunker underneath the White House. Important governmental personnel are being evacuated to secure locations."

    "Sigh¡­. Keep me posted on all updates around the clock. I want a meeting with the Joint Chiefs of Staff within the hour."

    "Affirmative sir. I''m sorry that it''s come to this¡­"

    "May god help us all¡­"

    Oakland Suburbs, California, United States, July 4th, 2018

    Opal squad continued through the streets of suburbia. The long, low, screaming howl of air raid sirens could be heard in the distance as Chinese planes crisscrossed the skies overhead.

    Occasionally, the squad would come across an item lying on the ground that looked like it should be in use. A bike, knocked over on the sidewalk. The remains of a picnic, sitting on the lawn, being picked apart by birds.

    It was as if everyone had suddenly disappeared in an instant.

    "So this is it?" Cecilia said, gazing at a slip-and-slide lying derelict, still spraying water. "We''re being invaded. Shit, I gotta call my husband."

    "I knew it would come to this." Stryker said, "It was all building to something. Our mission in Dushanbe, that massacre in Russia, the kidnapping of the Russian President¡­"

    "I wish we all realized it. Though you might be overestimating your own insight there." Livia clapped back.

    "I can''t believe it." Jayleen lamented. "How could they get past our defenses? How could we have not seen this coming? There hasn''t been a war on US soil since 1812, right?"

    "Not true," Jacob said. "In World War 2, the Japanese took over a series of Alaskan islands. Also, a Japanese pilot tried to recruit some US citizens in Hawaii to the imperial cause."

    "Really? That''s something they didn''t teach us in school."

    "We''ll do what needs to be done," Cecilia said, a determined look on her face. "We need to defend our homeland and its people. Remember the oath we all took when we signed up. I solemnly swear to support and defend the constitution of the United States from all enemies, both foreign and domestic."

    "Damn straight," Stryker said.

    "We''ll cut this way," Cecilia said, leading the squad between two houses into a backyard.

    "Can we get through here?" Jayleen asked, passing through a gate in a fence to an adjacent yard.

    "What''s the matter, Jayleen?" Liam teased. "You''ve never taken a shortcut before?"

    Opal-1 held up her fist, ordering the team to stop. In a yard ahead of them were mammals in blue-gray camouflage. Pouches, harnesses, and vests across their bodies, weapons ready.

    The Chinese paratroopers were on alert and instantly began to fire on the incoming Americans.

    "Contact forward! Weapons free! Weapons free!"

    Opal''s squad took cover behind large rocks and a brick wall, projectiles whizzing over their heads. The lead bullets disintegrating as they hit the stone.

    Stryker mounted his LMG''s bipod atop the wall and sprayed the area with gunfire. The M249 chattered loudly, its belt feeding into the weapon and the hail of fire taking out 3 enemy troopers.

    The rest of the squad quickly eliminated the other hostiles and stacked up adjacent to the house''s back door.

    "Liam! Your time to shine!" Cecilia ordered.

    The lion nodded nervously, his heart racing.

    "Hey, you got this," Cecilia said, putting a paw on his shoulder. "Breach!"

    Jayleen kicked the door open, and Livia tossed in a flashbang grenade.

    The lion pumped his shotgun and charged inside the house. He felt like he would break and run back out the way he came, but a small voice at the back of his mind nagged him.

    "Don''t panic. Remember your training."

    Liam leveled his weapon and scanned the hallway he''d entered into.

    "Left. Pull."

    In the blink of an eye, Liam snapped his sights to his left and blew a hole through a Chinese trooper, sending him falling backward onto a pool table in a rec room.

    "Pump. Forward."

    Pumping the shotgun once, another tango emerged from a room in front of the lion. Liam fired again, tearing through the mammal''s chest and blowing a red stain onto the eggshell wallpaper. A bloody smear streaked downwards along the wall as the soldier slumped into a sitting position on the floor.

    The rest of the squad entered, weapons ready, spotting the Chinese soldier slumped against a wall.

    Entering into the kitchen and front room, more hostiles were there to greet the Americans.

    "Hostile rusher! Watch yourself!" Jayleen shouted, a soldier with a shotgun advancing and firing. A barrage of buckshot obliterating items and books sat atop the counter. Livia ducked down and scampered backward as blasts of buckshot flew by. Bits of shredded paper fell down on her like confetti.

    Jayleen reloaded her MP5 submachine gun and put a few rounds into the shotgunner while he moved against Livia.

    "Push forward! Don''t let them bog you down!" Cecilia shouted, the squad exiting the house once the remaining hostiles were cleared.

    Out on the street, Chinese soldiers had set up barricades and supply crates. Discarded parachutes littered the ground and hung from trees as combatants ducked behind cars for cover.

    "Switching to full metal jacket rounds!" Opal-1 yelled, loading her rifle with a magazine that had white tape wrapped around it. "FMJ" was written on the side in permanent marker.

    Bracing her rifle against the hood of a car, Cecilia switched the weapon to semi-automatic and took precise shots in quick succession.

    BANG!

    BANG!

    BANG!

    BANG!

    The rounds tore through a tiger solder, their harder exterior penetrating through him much more effortlessly than standard bullets.

    Livia used her marksman''s rifle, and Jacob used his sniper rifle to impressive effect. High powered, focused shots from a safe distance killing mammal after mammal like swift agents of death.

    The Chinese set up a mounted machine gun atop a barricade and unleashed hell. The weapon chattered loudly as its bullets shattered the glass windows of cars and cratered against the pavement.

    "Shit! Stay in cover! Don''t let that thing get a bead on you!" Livia ordered, ducking and moving alongside a car as its windshield was shot to pieces.

    "Flash out!" Liam yelled, tearing a cylindrical object from his belt. Pulling a pin, he rolled the grenade under a car and towards the enemy machine gunner.

    With a blinding flash and deafening blast, the concussion grenade detonated, stunning the enemy soldiers.

    With the gunner blinded, the Opal squad unleashed a wall of gunfire that neutralized the incapacitated enemies in mere moments.

    "Sergeant Walker to Overload," Cecilia said into her radio. "Made contact with the enemy, initial group of hostiles neutralized. No casualties."

    There was the rumble of an engine, and an 8-wheeled, matted green infantry fighting vehicle pulled up behind one of the Chinese concrete barricades.

    Its mounted turret spun around, and a stream of lead carpeted the street.

    "Hostile IFV! Get down!" Jacob shouted.

    "Tossing smoke!" Jayleen yelled, throwing a metal cylinder. The top popped off, and a stream of white smoke poured from it, obscuring the entire area.

    "Over here! Into the drainage ditch! Quick!" Cecilia yelled, vaulting over a wooden fence, her boots splashing in the small creek at the bottom of a gully that ran through the neighborhood.

    The rest of the squad followed suit, jumping out of sight of the IFV. Moving through bulrush and tall grasses, Cecilia raised a finger to her earpiece and spoke.

    "Opal-1 to STRATCOM, we''ve encountered enemy armor, I need air support on station!"

    "Negative Opal-1, Chinese have set up towed anti-aircraft artillery installations in Maple Leaf park, to the north. Move to destroy triple A batteries so we can regain air superiority."

    "Solid copy."

    "There is a downed helicopter near your position that should have heavy ordnance and ammunition for your squad. You can utilize that against the enemy batteries and hostile IFVs."

    "Affirmative STRATCOM, we''ll get it done."

    "Sending you the coordinates."

    "Double time it mammals! We''re heading for the wreck of a downed chopper to scavenge it for equipment."

    "Then what?" Stryker inquired.

    "Neutralize enemy triple A batteries, clear the zone of combatants."

    "Oo-Rah."

    "Through here," Cecilia motioned silently, pointing to a concrete drainage tunnel under a roadway. They moved single-file through the pipe, coming out on the other side to a dry ditch.

    Three Chinese soldiers were on patrol, their backs to the tunnel. In the distance, the repetitive sound of gunfire and combat between other units could be heard.

    Sergeant Walker pointed to Liam and then pointed forward.

    The lion and coyote advanced silently, drawing their knives, grabbing the enemy troopers, and plunging the blades into their necks.

    Jayleen swiftly pushed ahead, pouncing on the last enemy soldier and driving her blade into his throat.

    "Downed helicopter sighted," Livia said, pointing.

    The dull gray wreck of a Sikorsky Super Stallion was sitting in a yard behind a house. Its blades had been shredded, and small flames spewed from the engines. The remains of the pilots lay slumped over their seats. The back loading door was open, and a few boxes had fallen out.

    Entering inside, the squad spotted crates with danger markers, cracking them open to find grenades, claymore mines, and rectangular C4 explosive charges.

    In another box were shoulder-mounted SMAW rocket launchers. They resembled long green tubes with a handle, trigger, scope, and a shoulder brace attached forward of the mid-length.

    "Oh hell yeah, we always get to work with the best toys," Stryker said, removing one of the weapons from its container.

    "Replenish your ammo, grab those SMAWs and those explosives," Cecilia ordered, grabbing spare magazines out of a small tan container.

    "Affirmative!"

    Stryker and Liam picked up the launchers and stowed them on their backs while Jayleen placed a few satchel charges and claymores into her pack.

    "Command, this is Sergeant Walker. Opal has recovered heavy ordnance and is moving towards triple A batteries."

    "Command copies." Said the voice through the radio. "Hit ''em hard, Opal-1."

    "Squad, form up on me, and let''s move out!"

    The squad took position behind their leader and moved out of the yard, crossing a street into a small woodland area covered by brush and trees.

    "Keep your eyes peeled, your snouts up, and your ears on alert!" Livia warned. "There might be hostiles in these trees."

    They climbed up to the top of a small ridge and went prone on the ground, looking over the edge.

    A grassy park with bushes, extensive concrete walkways, and decorative walls was directly below them. At the center of the pathways was a fountain that was not running.

    On the other side of the park was a roadway, then a grassy sports field, and beyond that were shops and homes. The torn wreckage of a Chinese transport plane was splayed out over the road and field. Its wings shattered, and a significant mark dug into the ground. By now, the paradrops had stopped, but there were god knows how many tangos swarming the region.

    "Command, Opal has visual on enemy gun batteries," Cecilia said.

    In the park, three towed anti-aircraft guns had been positioned. Their wheels folded up, and their crewmammals firing the weapon''s twin barrels into the sky.

    Various other PLA infantry patrolled the area and checked out supply containers.

    "Those are Type 87 AA batteries," Jacob noted. "If I remember my military intelligence correctly. Be glad it''s not the self-propelled variant."

    "Come on, we could probably take one of those on with all this ordnance," Liam said.

    "Alright, Stryker, Liam, get ready to fire on my mark," Cecilia ordered. "Hit those 2 guns that are closest to us."

    The mammals complied as Jacob lined up the reticle of his sniper rifle with the operator of the last battery.

    "Engage! Engage!"

    There were blasts of air and puffs of smoke as rockets streaked through the air and slammed into the AA batteries. Consuming the weapons and those nearby in balls of fire and dust.

    The squad opened fire with their rifles, taking down a handful of Chinese troops before they could get to cover.

    "Push up! Don''t give them a chance to dig in!"

    Jumping over the ridge, the mammals slid down the steep slope. They landed on the ground, efficiently engaging and dispatching the remaining enemies.

    "One gun left!" The Sergeant said. "Get some C4 charges on that thing!"

    Jayleen raced over and placed an explosive on the side of the battery, stepping back and readying the detonator.

    "Charges placed! Standby for detonation."

    The group hunkered down as the hyena clicked the detonator, and the resulting blast ripped the AA gun apart.

    "Command, this is Opal. Enemy Triple A batteries have been destroyed." Cecilia radioed in.

    "Copy Opal. Relief force is 10 minutes out. Hold position till they arrive."

    "Understood command."

    "Use any and all methods to defend yourself. Hostile forces are moving to your position from the West."

    "Affirmative! Livia! Get some defenses set up!"

    "Rog! Deploying trophy system!" The fox said, setting up a small tripod, atop which was an LED light, along with 5 pairs of small gray tubes pointing in all directions.

    Jacob deployed claymores around their position, red lasers on the devices activating, ready for an intruding mammal to walk by.

    As Cecilia observed her soldiers, Stryker ran up to her and spoke.

    "Sergeant, should we get back up on that ridge? It''s a steep climb up, but that''s the high ground; we could easily shoot down from up there."

    "This location looks easily defendable, and we have enemy supplies we could utilize if necessary."

    "What if they get the high ground on us?"

    "That area is clear, the only direction they could come from in the West. We''ll hold here so they can''t retake this position."

    "This is the death zone; this is where you go if you wanna-"

    The sound of pressurized gas made the mule and coyote turn to see a pale wall of smoke emerging from down the roadway.

    "Grab some cover! Here they come!" The Sergeant said, hunkering down.

    A squad of PLA soldiers came out of the smoke and began firing.

    "Contact!"

    Opal squad opened up on the attackers, and the sound of gunfire filled the air.

    One enemy soldier was shot and fell backward to the ground, only to draw his pistol and continue firing.

    Jayleen flinched and ducked down as a pistol bullet struck near her, and the splash flew across her face.

    "Ah! Damn it!"

    She wiped her paw across her cheek, noticing a red smear.

    The hyena popped out of cover and fired her SMG, sending another burst of bullets through the wounded mammal that finally put him down.

    "Hey!" Jayleen said, turning to Stryker, the closest mammal to her. "Is my face ok?!"

    "A few cuts and scrapes, but don''t worry, they''ll heal. Any hyena guy would still find you attractive!"

    The hyena ducked and quickly retrieved a bandaid from her kit, slapping it onto her face as soon as possible.

    Large black rectangles began to emerge from the smoke, slowly advancing. Sometimes boots or elbows could be seen poking out from behind the rectangles, which had small shiny windows near the top of the shape.

    "Hostiles with ballistic shields!"

    Opal squad took a few shots at the incoming troopers, but their bullets disintegrated against the hardened ballistic armor and plexiglass. Other soldiers hid behind the protective shields, one of them pulling a pin and tossing a grenade.

    The trophy system detected the incoming weapon and fired a projectile from one of its 10 gray tubes. The projectile tore apart the grenade before it could detonate, and the shards fell to the ground.

    "Stryker! Get that rocket launcher up!"

    "You got it, ma''am!"

    The mule got down on one knee and aimed his launcher. Pulling the trigger, a second later, explosions went off directly in the center of the advancing troopers. The shields, as did their users, clattered to the ground, and the attackers began to break.

    The remaining PLA troops were mopped up with precise shots as they tried to fall back into the fading smoke.

    "Opal-1, You have OPCON on an MQ-1 predator drone. Be advised we are detecting a large number of tangos approaching your position from the West."

    "Opal copies all!" Sergeant Walker responded. "Get ready, mammals! Dig in, and don''t waste a bullet!"

    The squad took cover behind the stone walls, aiming their guns at the direction hostiles would be coming from.

    Cecilia removed the dark gray case from her backpack and opened it. Inside was a keyboard and computer screen displaying targeting data, along with a black and white thermal imaging video feed from a drone in the sky above. A series of hollow red rectangle markings appeared superimposed onscreen, each one an enemy soldier.

    "Ordnance away!"

    With the press of a button, the drone fired a missile, and the feed switched to a missile-mounted camera. Cecilia had complete control, guiding the projectile to Earth towards the red enemy markers.

    There was an explosion as the missile struck the center of the Chinese squad, instantly obliterating all mammals nearby.

    ¡°4¡­ 5 plus kills, good shooting Opal-1.¡± STRATCOM said.

    A second squad of hostiles appeared, and the coyote fired another salvo, decimating the advancing mammals.

    A larger red rectangle appeared as a Chinese armored vehicle moved up the road.

    "IVF is back!" Livia yelled.

    A third missile streaked from the predator drone, slamming into the Chinese vehicle. Its armor was shattered, and the vehicle stopped but wasn''t destroyed.

    "Sergeant, I think that thing might still be operational!" Jayleen shouted, prompting Cecilia to fire again, just to be sure.

    The missile hit the IFV, its exterior rupturing and its fuel going up in flames. The crew inside was torn apart, and all that was left was a smoldering wreck.

    "Good effect on target!" Overload reported. "Repeat, good effect on target!"

    "Hey! Save some for us!" Liam said before the squad''s radios came to life once more.

    "Opal, you have an enemy helo on approach!"

    "You may just get that chance, Liam!" Cecilia said. "Eyes up, mammals!"

    The choppy whirr of rotor blades could be heard as a dark, black aircraft silhouette came into view¡ªa Chinese Changhe Z-10 attack helicopter.

    It had two cockpit windows and a red star emblazoned near the tail with white numerical markings.

    "Lining up for an attack!" Jacob yelled, the helicopter moving in close to target the Americans. "Heads down!"

    "And tuck your tails between your legs!" Stryker added.

    The aircraft''s machine gun roared as it let loose a hail of bullets that raked across the park, sending small clouds into the air.

    This was followed by a barrage of missiles that sent even greater dust clouds into the air. Livia was crouched behind a stone wall and knocked down by the conclusive force. The delta force operator gritted her teeth, her bones shaking and her ears ringing.

    Cecilia took her shot as the helicopter hovered briefly to line up another attack.

    "Firing!"

    As the projectile streaked through the air, the chopper started to move. But with the rocket''s live guidance system, the shot still found its mark.

    The rocket struck the helicopter''s tail and detonated in a critical hit. The aircraft instantly spun out of control and slammed into the park''s southern section, its spinning blades ripped apart.

    "Fly away home motherfucker!"

    "Enemy helo destroyed," STRATCOM said as the helicopter''s cockpit opened, and a pilot in a blue flight suit climbed out. He grabbed a submachine gun out of the wreckage and opened fire on the Americans before being gunned down.

    "Come on, Cecilia!" Liam teased. "Leave some for us!"

    "You trying to earn yourself a medal?" Stryker teased.

    "Trying to, before the sergeant takes all the glory."

    "It ain''t all glory, Liam. There''s a lot of horror in this business, too."

    There was the sound of engines rumbling, and a group of four dull green American Humvees began driving up the road. Machine gun turrets ready to engage any hostiles.

    "There''s our relief force," Livia said, the convoy coming to a stop.

    US soldiers got out and leveled their weapons at the surrounding area as the squad raced over.

    "Blue! Blue!" Cecilia called out as her team linked up with the relief force.

    A soldier gestured to the vehicles, and the Opal squad climbed in. Cecilia, Liam, and Jayleen in one Humvee, Jacob, Livia and Stryker in another.

    "Opal, you have a large enemy presence to your south," STRATCOM informed. "Move to eliminate hostile FOB. Secondary objective is to secure enemy intelligence. Then, move to neutralize hostile presence at the nearby mall. Be advised, Chinese units may still be infiling via airdrop or amphibious landing."

    "Opal copies all STRATCOM," Cecilia said. "It''s gonna be a long day."

    The coyote looked into the distance; she could hear gunfire, shouts, and explosions, spotting columns of smoke rising into the sky.

    "Alright, Opal squad!" Sergeant Walker said over her radio. "Time to go kill some more bad guys and save some lives!"

    The other Americans piled into their vehicles, and the convoy drove off through the suburbs toward the next fight.

    Russian Army Forward Headquarters, Unknown Location, Western Belarus July 7th, 2018

    Russian troops patrolled the streets of a small village, keeping watch for intruders and assisting the populace where they could. Helping an older woman carry water or participating in the construction of a home.

    Near the outskirts of the village sat a large plaster building with a wooden frame, which was clearly very old. Yet, despite its age, the army had seen it fit to establish a forward HQ inside.

    Staff and officers reviewed computer data feeds and contacted far-off locations via radio.

    Belka Morozova looked over a map laid out on a wooden table depicting part of the European continent. There were markers for NATO forces and Russian or allied forces, including armored vehicles, infantry battalions, air units, and warships.

    A door to the command center opened, and a wolf walked in.

    "Barkov, has the former president revealed any more useful information?" The fox asked.

    "Negative, Captain; I just received word from the force guarding him. And we don''t want to go too hard on him." The wolf responded.

    "Yes, he is a valuable bargaining chip. He may have taken a firm approach against our enemies and vastly improved our armed forces, but he did not go far enough. Ultimately, he was not willing to do what must be done. Russia needs to show the world its strength and take its place as the world''s foremost superpower!"

    "What about acquiring the launch codes for our nuclear ICBMs?"

    "Even without them, plenty of destructive options remain on the table. Cruise missiles, thermobaric weapons, strategic bombing¡­ when he reveals the launch codes, then we can add tactical nuclear strikes to our arsenal."

    "What about our strategic weapons? We could turn all of Europe to glass!"

    "I do NOT wish to stand atop a pile of radioactive ash. NATO also has missile defense systems in place, just like us. They would obliterate our ICBMs, and they are too well fortified to take out at this time."

    "What if we are driven back? What if we are on the verge of defeat?"

    "If it comes to that, then maybe. But I believe in the might of the Russian army and our allies to win this war conventionally. That will be all." Belka said, the wolverine nodding.

    A tan-furred sable in a Russian officer''s uniform walked over to the table, and Belka stood to attention.

    "General Hermonov! I must say I am displeased that I was pulled away from the front lines so soon. However, I am more than happy to discuss our strategy and offer input."

    "Forces in your sector are currently solidifying their gains, and units in other sectors are still catching up to your position. You won''t be away for long, and we would appreciate your strategic insight, especially since you have an on-the-ground perspective."

    "First, I require a full report on our military operations. Let''s start with Europe."

    "Yes, captain." The sable said, striding over to the map on the table and pointing to particular locations. "Latest reports from across the front say resistance from NATO has been more formidable than expected, but they have taken heavy losses. We are still in a favorable position."

    There was a pause, Belka looking over the map momentarily before speaking.

    "Are we keeping an eye on the terrorists?"

    The General grabbed another map, this one of the Middle East, and spread it on the table.

    "Al-Sayf is still causing problems. I know recent analyses have downplayed their abilities. Still, units who''ve engaged them in combat have reported that these terrorists are crafty. They utilize everything from technicals and IEDs to scavenged aircraft and even modified civilian tractors that spew toxic substances."

    "Are they spurred on by religious zealotry like other regional factions?"

    "No, Captain Morozova. Their war is not one of faith but of politics. They despise the Western world, along with us and our allies, for decades, if not centuries, of involvement in the Middle East. We also have received reports of a particularly¡­ unnerving terrorist leader."

    The sable pointed to a photograph lying on the table. It depicted a yak in a dull blue hazmat suit with a camouflage cloak around his neck. He had a respirator over his mouth and goggles over his eyes.

    "We don''t have a positive ID, but Al-Sayf refers to him as ''Doctor Yakx.''" The sable continued. "We believe he received training as an immunologist, but beyond that, not much is known. He is fond of utilizing anthrax, chemical substances, and other forms of biological weaponry."

    "I am glad we have the rest of our alliance to assist us against these insurgents. And Western involvement to split their attention. We should be careful, though; if the Americans and their allies can break through Al-Sayf, they could attack us directly."

    "Speaking of which, I believe we could use the terrorists to our advantage. To take pressure off our units and force our enemies to focus on them."

    "Hmm¡­. wise thinking. How are we faring in North America?"

    "As expected, the Americans were distracted with their national holiday. Tactical objectives were met in Alaska, and Chinese forces are advancing on the city of Sacramento in California. There was some difficulty near Oakland; a US army unit, codename Opal Squad, inflicted serious damage on attacking forces. We were able to steal some Intel about them from the American network before they detected our intrusion."

    The general handed Belka a dossier with a picture of a coyote and basic information about her.

    "Cecilia Walker." The ultranationalist said, looking over the page. "Sergeant, US Army Delta force."

    "I believe an apt comparison is to our own Spetsgruppa A."

    "Equivalent of Alpha group, you say? Hmmm¡­ highly trained, well equipped¡­ aha! Look at that, wouldn''t you know it! Says they were involved in a battle with Spetsnaz and People''s Liberation Army units in Tajikistan. We knew from the beginning that it was a blatant attack on our forces by the Americans. What about the situation at home?"

    "Latest polls show that morale is high, especially after we published the footage from our soldier''s helmet cameras in Dushanbe. Every mammal can now see the truth of the West''s attack on Russia. The truth that the President was too afraid to show. That, when coupled with the terrorist attack by Western-backed agents in Velikiye Luki, has led to strong public support for the war effort. Military recruitment is up by 27%. Factory personnel are taking longer shifts and working more diligently to churn out equipment for our soldiers."

    The fox folded up the file and handed it back to the sable before speaking.

    "Thank you for keeping me informed, General. I recommend releasing the full official government report on the Dushanbe incident; it will further confirm the truth of what the people already know and show them what the old government hid from them. Keep me informed of any new developments, especially regarding this Opal squad. Additionally, I recommend forwarding the information to our counterparts abroad."

    "Already done, Belka."

    There was a pause, and then the white-furred fox spoke.

    "I appreciate you providing command for my unit. Your tactical skills are exceptional, and I am proud to follow your orders. And proud to call you my commanding officer and my friend."

    "Likewise, Captain, your on-the-ground expertise, knowledge, and combat skills are commendable. Your drive and dedication are also exemplary. There are promotions in your future. I think you could make a good general."

    "I like the front lines. I want to get my paws dirty. I am the executor of our cause and our fight."

    "Leading from the front. Very commendable. You are one of the Russian army''s foremost fighters, and that has not gone unrecognized."

    A staffer in the room spoke up, and the General excused himself, saying he would only be a moment.

    Belka nodded and picked up a remote, turning on a TV nearby.

    Flicking to an American news network, a male moose stood before a city. In the background, she could see fighter jets dancing through the sky as AA batteries fired streaks of shells up into the heavens.

    Captions with black backgrounds appeared on the bottom of the screen, yet they were not needed by the fox, who knew English. Belka couldn''t help but smirk as she watched the combat footage.

    For years, the ultranationalists had encouraged military buildup, convinced others of the value of their goals, drew up military plans, ran combat simulations, and influenced Russian politics. All their preparation was finally bearing fruit. They had immense military might and the nation''s support on their side. They were finally able to reach out and crush those who sought to destroy Russia and her allies.

    Belka focused on the reporter, hearing the words from the moose''s mouth with barely contained horror and disbelief.

    "Analysts say there is only one name for the new stage of conflict in which the globe finds itself. A hypothetical scenario that billions have feared since the dawn of the Cold War. Make no mistake, these are the opening salvos of World War 3."

 Evacuation

    Walker Residence, Lakeport, California, United States, July 4th, 2018

    Westside, Sacramento, California, United States, July 7th, 2018

    Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

    00000000

    Chinese Aircraft Carrier Shandong, Admiral Shen''s Command Ship, San Francisco Bay, July 8th, 2018

 Tank Superiority

    Blue Star Memorial Highway, Near Cameron, California, United States, January 10th, 2016

    Miles of pavement cut through the rolling hills of drab green and dull orange shrubbery. Rows of wind turbines atop the ridges slowly turned in the breeze. Smoke billowed from one wounded turbine, a small fire burning inside the nacelle.

    Down on the road, Lieutenant Adams climbed aboard his M1 Abrams and stood atop the turret, peering ahead with a handheld spotting scope.

    The highway continued into a flat valley encircled by hills. Far at the other end of the landform was a small city, but between the lieutenant and that objective were dozens of Chinese tanks, which had already shown their bite to the previous US forces that had attempted an assault.

    Adams lowered his scope as a heavy-duty Super Stallion helicopter hovered overhead, slowly lowering an M8 Buford to the ground. Cables disconnecting, the helo turned to fly away, going in the opposite direction of the valley.

    "2-2 is on the ground and mobile." A voice said over the radio, the Buford moving forward to take position next to the other tanks on the road.

    There were agile Bufords and venerable M60A3s upgraded into the SLEP variant with side skirts and various modernizations. These lighter tanks were coupled with fearsome M1 Abrams, the pinnacle of armored warfare. The supporting element consisted of a few engineering vehicles and assault breachers, along with an M1200 armored knight used for reconnaissance.

    "Command, company is ready to deploy," Adams said, climbing down the hatch of his Abrams. Taking position in the commander''s seat and closing the hatch above him. Already inside was a female mountain lion at the gunner''s seat and a male rabbit in the loader''s seat. Both were wearing fatigues, helmets, and cooling vests.

    "Affirmative Lieutenant, standby for final briefing." The radio said.

    "Copy that STRATCOM."

    The gunner and loader shared a fist bump as command spoke again.

    "A Chinese armored battalion has moved into and is occupying the city of Tehachapi. Codename, objective Briar. We believe this is the vanguard of a force that will attempt to break out of the California Central Valley and push east toward Edwards Air Force Base. That base is vital to our operations against the Chinese and is providing air support to regional units."

    Lieutenant Adams brought a hand up to activate his headset.

    "All units begin advance! Driver, forward!"

    With a jolt, the Abrams began to move forward down the highway and into the valley, surrounded by the other armored vehicles.

    "Previous assaults were neutralized by Chinese forces. Expect heavy resistance."

    "Understood STRATCOM."

    "The People''s Liberation Army has heavy AA units in your sector. We will be unable to provide you with air support or airdropped reinforcements until those units are neutralized."

    "Copy STRATCOM, we''ll get it done."

    "There are recon teams in your AO that can spot targets for your tanks."

    Lt Adams turned to gaze at the piled up and burning wreckage of a Bradley and Humvee as his Abrams passed by¡ªthe destroyed remnants of their initial assault attempts.

    "This is Preacher 1-1. Check-in." Lieutenant Adams said into his radio, and other voices responded quickly.

    "This is Preacher 3-1, our tracks are rolling."

    "Preacher 2-1 here, ready to rumble."

    "Alright, mammals, Standard formation." The lieutenant said. "Light tanks to the front! Medium and heavy tanks behind them! Engineering and support vehicles, stay at the back of the formation and be ready to assist!"

    "Copy, lieutenant."

    "Let''s show Chen not to fuck with the USA."

    The more maneuverable light tanks moved up in front of the slower but more heavily armed M60A3s and M1s.

    The vehicles spread out and continued moving down the highway and over the sandy shrub-covered grass.

    "Sir! We have unknowns directly ahead." Adams'' reconnaissance vehicle said.

    "Could be wrecks from our prior attack." The lieutenant said. "Can you identify?"

    "Hold¡­"

    "All units, unknowns ahead."

    "Identified! Enemy IFVs and light tanks spotted!"

    "Confirm?"

    "Confirmed."

    "All units! Engage! Weapons free!"

    Thunderous cannons sounded as the American armor launched its opening salvo. The Chinese nearly instantly returned the barrage in kind.

    "Armored units initiating combat!" Preacher 2-1 yelled.

    A 4x4 Chinese reconnaissance vehicle was torn apart, the unit that had initially spotted the incoming US tanks.

    "Watch out for enemy armor taking position in that mine to our right side," Adams instructed.

    "Sir! We got more Chinese tanks up ahead." Someone shouted.

    "What type?"

    "Uh¡­ type 96s, I think."

    A group of 5 Chinese medium tanks confronted the Americans, engaging with 125mm canons.

    The burned husks of US Army and PLA tanks from previous battles surrounded the now-clashing armored units.

    A Buford was hit by a series of shells in quick succession, screeching to a stop, its gun pointing to the ground and its tracks breaking.

    "Preacher 2-2 is down!"

    "All units load HEAT shells and ATGMs!"

    "Copy!"

    "HEAT on the way!"

    One of the M60s focused fire on a single tank, punching through its rounded turret after a few shots.

    Meanwhile, a Buford used its superior speed to maneuver around one of the type 96s and hit it in the rear.

    "Enemy helos on approach!"

    Two dark black Z-10 attack helicopters opened fire on the Americans with their chin-mounted guns, following up with missiles.

    "2-3 taking effective fire!"

    A few tanks pointed their canons and coaxial machine guns skyward, hoping to fire shots that would strike the helicopters. At the same time, the rest of Preacher company finished off the Chinese ground vehicles.

    One of the engineering vehicles caught on fire after sustained bombardment before spectacularly detonating.

    To make matters worse, a Q-5 Fantan came in low and opened up with its 30mm cannons, blowing up one of the M1 Abrams before peeling away.

    "Driver! Reverse! Gunner! Target that helo!" The lieutenant ordered.

    The other mammals in the tank obliged, the main gun raising as one of the helicopters moved in for another attack run.

    "Hold¡­" Adams said, the helicopter getting closer and opening up with its autocannon. "Fire!"

    The Abrams engaged, hitting the aircraft center mass with a shot from its main canon. The enemy broke apart into chunks of debris that clattered to the ground.

    "Woo! Nice shooting!"

    The second helicopter turned and withdrew, trailing smoke as it limped away. Having been wounded by American machine gun fire.

    "Check in!" The lieutenant ordered. "Who''s not dead?"

    The voices of other tank drivers came in, many reporting damage to their vehicles.

    "Engineers! Begin repairs! STRATCOM! This is Adams! We''re encountering Chinese helicopters and ground attack aircraft! I just lost one of my M1s and an engineering vehicle!"

    "Affirmative Lieutenant, we''ll have AA vehicles directed to your position. What are your losses?"

    "I''m down an M1, a Hercules, and an M8."

    "Confirmed, reinforcements on the way."

    "Preacher 3-5 here!" a voice chimed in. "I''ve spotted hostile units to our west. Moving perpendicular to us, they could be minelayers."

    "Can you confirm?"

    "¡­confirmed, sir. Identifying... GBL-130s!"

    The lieutenant looked towards Tehachapi, finding two tracked war machines passing by perpendicular to the direction of their advance. The back of the vehicle was step-like in construction, mounting a series of tubes that fired out small explosive charges.

    "Copy 3-5! All units hold in place!" Adams ordered. "Take out those minelayers!"

    The tanks trained their guns on the enemy, but unfortunately, they missed a few shots due to how far away the targets were. The Americans managed to knock out one of the vehicles; however, the second minelayer was able to flee.

    "Great, we got surprises all over the ground the Chinese left for us," Adams said, looking through his viewfinder and noting the explosives that littered the dirt. He also saw the crew of the wrecked war machine bailing out and sprinting away. Assault breachers, clear us a path!"

    Two voices on the radio responded within seconds.

    "Going to clear that obstacle!"

    "M1150 moving to position!"

    Two vehicles pressed to the head of the formation, resembling M1 Abrams tanks. However, instead of 120mm canons, they were equipped with forward-facing mine plows and skids that appeared like menacing claws.

    "Firing a line charge!" One of the drivers said, hidden missile launchers inside the turret of each vehicle raising up and firing.

    The missiles arced over the minefield, trailing a line of explosives that landed stretched out across the ground. The explosives detonated, destroying all landmines in the vicinity.

    The assault breachers adjusted their position before moving forward across uncleared areas.

    "Mine plow engaged!"

    "Keep your heads on the swivel!" Adams instructed, continuing to watch the battlefield through his viewfinder. "We don''t know how many are out there."

    The assault breachers dug their claws into the earth, digging up dirt and landmines and piling the material out of the way.

    A new voice joined the radio call as two LAVs, armed with missile launchers and rotary autocannons, pulled up behind the tank formation.

    "Heavy AA reporting for duty lieutenant."

    "Glad to have you with us," Adams said. "You''ll go by callsigns Preacher 4-1 and Preacher 4-2. Keep those skies clear. The rest of you, you''ll fill in for what tanks we''ve lost."

    Accompanying the LAVs were replacement units. The new Abrams, Buford, and Hercules bringing Adams'' unit back up to full strength.

    "1-1, pathway is clear!" The driver of an assault breacher noted.

    "Roger, all preacher elements form up and advance."

    The armored units moved through the breaches in the minefield, getting back into formation before continuing to press forward. This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    The city was growing ever closer, with the tank company passing by a trailer park and a gas station for full-sized trucks¡ªAdams''s tank ground over an abandoned car left in the gas station''s parking lot.

    As one of the Buford''s passed near the gas pumps, a projectile shot down and crashed into one of the pumps, igniting the gas and causing it to explode. A blast of fire enveloped the light tank passing nearby.

    "Contact! Contact! No visual! No visual!"

    "2-1, what''s your status?" Adams asked.

    A gust of wind blew the smoke and flames away from the vehicle, revealing a charred surface with fire still burning on fabric bags and straps stored atop the hull.

    "Just a scratch, sir."

    Another shot came down from the ridge, striking one of the unit''s M60s.

    "1-5! Hull breach! We need repa-"

    Another shot cut clean through the M60, causing its fuel and ammo to detonate. The tank turret was thrown into the air, crashing down onto the pavement next to the lieutenant''s M1.

    "Deploy smoke!!" Adams ordered, fumbling to look through his viewfinder. "Anyone see where that came from?"

    "Negative!"

    Another barrage of heavy fire came down, dealing more critical damage but allowing the Americans to get a bearing on where the shots were coming from.

    "On the ridge line!"

    "Everyone! Get into cover behind that building!" The lieutenant ordered, his tanks moving behind the solid stone structure of the gas station, shielding them from further harm. "STRATCOM! Adams here! We''re taking fire from a ridge to our northwest!"

    There was a long delay before a response came through.

    "Scouts in the area reporting that the Chinese have stationed a battery of Type 89 tank destroyers on that ridge. Those canons will chew your units to pieces. Take them out if able."

    "Copy! All Preacher elements divert to neutralize Chen''s tank destroyers. Maintain fire on that ridge line to cover our advance."

    The Americans once more began to press forward across the flat expanse of ground, raising their canons to fire on the tank destroyers, which were sitting in a hull-down position. The company regularly deployed clouds of white from smoke launchers and smoke generators as it pressed towards the hill.

    An Abrams was struck in the track, veering to the right and nearly bumping into an M60 that was passing next to it. The M1 halted and was quickly picked off by the hungry tank destroyers.

    "Christ! Watch out!" Adams said as a round from one of the Chinese vehicles grazed his tank and buried itself into the ground.

    A HEAT shell struck one of the Type 89s in the turret, turning its canon silent.

    A critical strike decapitated an already damaged M8, and its turret was blown clean off.

    "Light tanks, move up that hill and neutralize those hostiles!" Adams ordered once the distance had been closed.

    Three of the Bufords broke off and began to push up the landform from the side while the rest of the tanks opened fire on the hill. One of the tank destroyers was blown to pieces before they even began to reverse in an attempted retreat.

    But this was in vain, as the light tanks had cleared the slope and pummeled the enemy into submission with ATGMs.

    "STRATCOM, enemy AT battery has been neutralized."

    "Affirmative, we''re dispatching additional armored elements."

    "Be advised there is a minefield east of our pos. But we cleared a path through."

    "¡­Copy 1-1."

    "Engineers! Damage assessment!"

    "3 tanks destroyed, damage to most others." A voice said, engineers already leaping out of their vehicles to perform repairs.

    "Get them fixed up and prepare to advance."

    Within a few minutes, the engineers had done what they could to patch armor and replace broken components. Rows of homes and large warehouses appeared more frequently as the unit switched to a box formation to better maneuver through the streets.

    "Scout helicopter has us in its sights, AA engaging." Preacher 4-2 said, launching a pair of missiles that destroyed a small PLA aircraft flying above.

    "Copy 4-2." Adams said, "STRATCOM, beginning to advance into objective briar!"

    "Affirmative. Your primary objective is to neutralize enemy AA vehicles scattered throughout the city. We''re forwarding their rough locations to your units. Be advised you will not have infantry support. Be on guard for hostile AT teams hiding within buildings."

    "Thanks for the heads-up command. All tanks, ready white phosphorus and high explosive shells. We''ll split up into 2 or 3 vehicle teams and go throughout the city, standard search pattern-"

    "Sir! Enemy AA vehicle ahead!" Adams'' driver interrupted.

    "Gunner! Neutralize it!"

    A Chinese Type 95 SPAAA had been emplaced by sandbags, taking position next to an intersection, surrounded by Chinese troops.

    Infantry fired at the approaching tanks with machine guns and rocket launchers till shots from the coaxial machine gun killed them.

    The type 95 engaged with its autocannons, only doing limited damage to the Abrams before a pair of shells put it down.

    "Triple A killed!"

    "Good work."

    As the tanks began to break off and fan throughout the city, command chimed in with another objective.

    "Preacher 1-1 intercepted radio chatter indicates a Chinese Air Force presence at the city airport. Neutralizing aircraft on the ground undergoing refueling and rearming would be beneficial."

    Adams took a quick look at a map he had of the city, being pleasantly surprised.

    "That''s right next door! Copy, can do STRATCOM! 1-2, 4-1, you''re with me! We''ll move to neutralize Chen''s units at the airport!"

    "Solid copy, lieutenant."

    The Abrams and LAV adjusted course, crashing through the chainlink fence surrounding the airport and moving onto the single small runway and taxiway.

    "Plane coming down the runway! Take it out!" Adams yelled, a Chinese jet attempting to take off, unaware of the American tanks.

    It was an easy kill, a shot from the Abrams hitting the engine intake and causing the vehicle to explode. Adams'' driver turned the tank to the right, avoiding the burning wreckage careening down the runway.

    More defenders confronted the armored unit, another pair of Z-10s moving above the airport.

    "Got eyes on two more hostile helos!" The lieutenant said. "4-1 engage!"

    The LAV first launched missiles, the helicopters releasing flares to avoid them before opening up with a barrage of rockets.

    Preacher 4-1 targeted the cockpit of one aircraft and fired its GAU-12U, punching through the armored canopy and pasting the mammals inside.

    As the wreckage hit the dirt, the second aircraft targeted the LAV, dealing significant damage to its armor.

    Preacher 4-1 deployed smoke and reversed out of the way of a rocket barrage. The ground vehicle got the upper hand, hitting the chopper with a well-placed missile that destroyed the main rotor shaft and brought it down.

    "We wrecked those helos, sir!"

    "Good! Because I got eyes on more targets! 10 o''clock! Weapons lose! weapons loose!"

    The three American vehicles tore into half a dozen Chinese helicopters parked on the tarmac beside the runway. One helo even attempted to take off before being swatted back down.

    Advancing further ahead, they found ground attack aircraft and fighter planes parked for storage or repair. Even a fuel truck was present. The crew began to scatter as they spotted the Americans.

    "More enemy aircraft spotted! Engage!"

    It was a slaughter, with machine guns and cannons preying on the defenseless aircraft. Pilots and ground crew sprinted to avoid the rain of lead and blasts of flame. Preacher 1-1 targeted the fuel truck, igniting a vast fireball that obliterated a parked jet nearby. A piece of the wing shot through the air like a bullet and scraped against the Adams tank before landing on the tarmac.

    "That''s one hell of a fireworks show!" The lieutenant''s gunner noted.

    The pavement was left with the scattered and burning remains of aircraft as Adams and his unit pressed onto the hanger buildings.

    Preacher 1-1 fired its canon directly into the cockpit of a fighter jet peeking halfway out of a hanger door. The three vehicles tore apart aircraft that lay stationary, waiting for pilots.

    Up ahead, a Q-5 Fantan taxied out of a hanger and began to turn towards the incoming vehicles. Preacher 1-1 lined up its canon, but just as it fired, so did the ground attack aircraft.

    The Q-5''s cockpit was obliterated, but in its death throes, it managed to pummel Adam''s tank with its wing-mounted canons, dealing significant damage.

    "Driver! Damage report!" The lieutenant yelled.

    "Right track is damaged but still operable, sir." The driver reported.

    "Alright, we''ll just have to take things slow."

    He looked through his viewfinder at the burning airplane wreckage.

    "Gotta admit, that was either very brave or very stupid. You gotta admire their tenacity. STRATCOM! Enemy aircraft on the ground have been annihilated!"

    "Good work, Lieutenant. We''re organizing more reinforcements for your unit. Continue with your main objective."

    "1-1! This is 2-4!" Came a voice through the radio. "We have 3 Chinese heavy tanks bearing down on us! Need support!"

    "This is 1-1, what''s your position?"

    ¡°¡­¡±

    "2-4?"

    "City main intersection!"

    "Affirm! Load ATGMs and return fire! We''ll try to flank them!" Adams ordered.

    The tanks left the airport and turned to proceed down a broad road perpendicular to the town''s Main Street. But the going was slow, as Adam''s tank was still wounded.

    "Heads up display is gone!" 2-4 shouted. "Fire! Fire! Ahhh!"

    An armored vehicle zoomed past the streets in front of them, appearing and disappearing within moments as it dropped objects on the roadway.

    "All units, watch your feet! One of Chen''s minelayers is still out there. Driver, go around."

    The tank turned right, proceeding through an alleyway onto another street.

    All at once, grenades and satchel charges were tossed out of a storefront to the right, dealing damage to the formation''s AA vehicle.

    "Enemy infantry in that building!" The lieutenant said. "Get some Willy Pete in there!"

    The loader inserted a white phosphorus round, and the gunner fired¡ªa blast going off inside the store, creating a massive cloud of pale smoke.

    PLA troops sprinted out of the building, coughing and screeching with their bodies ablaze. Only to be put out of their misery by machine gun fire.

    As the vehicles managed to return to their original course, the gunner looked through her scope and spotted the enemy.

    "Chinese type 99 tanks spotted! We''re coming at them from their 8 o''clock!"

    "Wait till we get a little closer!" Adams said. "Then load HEAT and hit ''em in the tail!"

    The Abrams closed the distance to the three tanks, one of which had already been knocked out.

    The Americans opened up with HEAT shells, striking one of the type 99s in their weaker rear armor.

    The heavy Chinese vehicles began to spin their hulls and turrets around, one being destroyed before it could return fire.

    However, the second type 99 managed to engage. A shell smashed into Adam''s tank, thankfully hitting the thicker front armor but still doing damage.

    The Chinese heavy tank attempted to move to avoid fire but was eventually turned into a burning wreck.

    "2-4, are you alright?" Adams asked, looking towards the light tank''s position, only to see the smoking wreckage of 2 Bufords with an intact M88.

    "This is 3-1; we''re all that''s left, sir."

    "Damnit!" the lieutenant cursed before sighing. "Guess you''re with us then, 3-1. My tank''s right track is damaged. Can you repair it?"

    "Affirmative, sir, we''ll fix you up."

    The M88 Hercules drove over, its engineers going to work. The radio continued to chatter frequently.

    "Hostile AA destroyed."

    "Enemy infantry inside that building! Firing white phosphorus!"

    "Chinese light tank neutralized!"

    After repairs were complete, Adams and his armored vehicles continued to press through the city toward the location of an enemy AA battery.

    "1-1, enemy minelayer had been neutralized." A voice on the radio said.

    "Good job."

    Preacher 1-1 moved to the city''s west side, linking up with another pair of tanks. They destroyed a pair of Chinese anti-aircraft vehicles set up next to a set of railroad tracks. Adams checked in with his other units before contacting command.

    "STRATCOM! AA units in the city have been neutralized! Objective Briar completed!"

    "Affirmative lieutenant, move to the northwest side of town and neutralize remaining Chinese forces.  A-10 warthogs and other air support assets are standing by. C-17s are ready to deploy reinforcements on your mark. Call in what you need.

    "Orders received STRATCOM, we''ll mark a drop zone. All tanks! Rally to me! Let''s push these bastards back!"

    All the vehicles of Preacher company rallied together, their engineers performing repairs, before beginning to press towards the city outskirts. This area of Tehachapi had fewer structures, and those it did have were only a single-story high.

    "Lieutenant, intercepted radio chatter indicates PLA anti-tank units are taking position inside buildings to your northwest. They are armed with Anti-material rifles, AT launchers, and recoilless guns. Watch out for heavy fire."

    Two Chinese medium tanks moved down the street, firing their canons at the Americans.

    "This is 1-1! Requesting A-10 support!"

    "Affirmative! Tank buster in transit."

    An A-10 warthog came in low over the city, firing a pair of AT missiles that annihilated the PLA tanks.

    Heavy gunfire blasted out from a small store, obliterating a medium tank.

    "Requesting Laser-guided bomb," Adams said. "3-5, mark targets."

    The advance halted before a strike fighter blazed through the sky.

    "Laser-guided away."

    A projectile dropped from the plane to turn the building into dust.

    Preacher company continued to press out of the city, calling in laser-guided bombs on enemy strongpoints.

    "Lieutenant, we are redirecting you to take position at a location further up the highway," STRATCOM informed. "Multiple Chinese armored companies are moving to retake objective Briar. Set up defensive positions on route 58 and repel the assault. Remember, air support assets are available for call-in. We''re airdropping reinforcements."

    "Roger command!" Lieutenant Adams said. "All units on me! We''ll move up the highway and set up a kill zone!"

    Adams and his unit proceeded up the highway to a flat, sloping area with a rising hill to the northeast. A few strips of highway pavement crisscrossed the drab green shrubs covering the ground. Route 58 came down from the north, at the base of the rising hill, before curving west into Tehachapi.

    The US tanks took position on a flat ridge on the southwest side of the highway, enabling them to fire down at any enemies on approach. More vehicles were stationed on route 58 itself, behind a bridge over the road, able to engage the Chinese in crossfire as they advanced.

    A pair of C-17 planes came in low, opened their cargo bay doors, and dropped M1 Abrams tanks and M88 Hercules via clusters of parachutes.

    "Assault breachers! Dig out emplacements facing the highway so we can get into hull down position!" The lieutenant ordered. "3-5, you call in fire support. Engineering vehicles, be ready to provide support. All units, load AT shells."

    "Copy."

    The assault breachers began to tear into the earth, carving out ditches and piling the dirt in small crests. US tanks would drive into the holes, their hulls concealed from any enemy coming down Route 58.

    There was a lull, the US tanks waiting, finishing emplacing themselves, performing any final repairs, or making sure their canons were loaded.

    The rumble of engines and steel treads grew louder. Dozens of camouflaged shapes coming down Route 58 like a hail of meteors.

    "Lieutenant! I see them!" Preacher 3-5 said. "Hold for ID¡­.. Chinese type 99 and type 96 tanks!¡­ Along with repair vehicles¡­  and a handful of tank destroyers!"

    "Any AA units?"

    "Negative, sir!"

    "Alright then, let''s dance." the lieutenant said. "Here they come! Fire at will! Fire at will!"

    Steel clashed with steel as the US Army and People''s Liberation Army engaged each other with white-hot fury.

    Tank shells shot through the air, leaving brief trails of white that hung in the air for less than a second.

    "Lieutenant, a flight of B-1 bombers is out of Edwards Air Force Base," STRATCOM said. "They are prepared for low altitude bombing and are only a few minutes out."

    The US had the advantage, with overlapping fields of fire that pummeled the Chinese. It wasn''t long before flames and blackened wreckage covered Route 58.

    Two medium tanks tried to press the attack, moving up an off-ramp onto the ridge with the American armor.

    Stray shells hit the bridge, causing it to crash to the pavement, but thankfully, it didn''t crush anything below it.

    "Preacher 1-1, Bomber support is on station. Mark targets for them, and they''ll make sure those PLA stay dead."

    "Copy! 3-5, mark targets!"

    A trio of B-1 Lancer bombers soared overhead, flying only 500 feet above the ground to maximize effect.

    "This is Thor 4-1; we are dropping our payload. Danger close! Danger close!"

    Dozens of bombs rained down, flattening every single Chinese vehicle in the target zone.

    "Direct hit on target, we are RTB, repeat, we are RTB." Thor 4-1 said, pulling around.

    "They''re hurting mammals! Give it to them!" Adams ordered as another batch of Chinese heavy tanks pressed the counterattack.

    A few US tanks were hit by repeated fire or critical strikes, destroying the war machines. The haze of smoke hindering visual targeting, forcing gunners to switch to thermal sights. However, this didn''t prove easy due to the amount of burning metal.

    Another trio of Lancers deployed their payloads over the Chinese forces, crushing even more of their armored units.

    "Those coordinates were good." The bomber pilot said. "Enemy units have been turned to dust."

    "This is 3-5, we have no visual on hostiles."

    "Copy." The lieutenant said, opening the hatch on his tank and sticking his torso out, looking at the battlefield through binoculars. Unable to see any movement.

    "STRATCOM, Adams here. Enemy force has been eliminated."

    "Excellent work, lieutenant." Command said. "Hold position; we''re sending additional units in to secure the city and mop up any stragglers.

    "Affirmative. All units hold position."

    There was a pause, with limited movement as tanks made minor adjustments to their firing positions or undertook repairs.

    "Like you said, sir¡­"  Adams'' gunner noted. "We sure showed them not to fuck with us."

    "That we did¡­. That we did¡­" the lieutenant affirmed, looking out at the burning massacre of sundered steel.