Free Wasteland Rules: A New Dawn (The World After Book 3) by J.G. Martin

control. There were also
markers indicating troop strength and disposition for all of the factions
except the Collective. The general clicked again and the map zoomed in on the
border between the U.S.T.G. and the C.C.A. Detailed troop movements and
dispositions were marked around Louisville.
       “We are going to execute Plan Delta Five and invade the
C.C.A. before they get too much more organized.” General Ross lectured. “We were
already in the final stages; but now that we can see their troop movements and
they cannot see ours, we have moved up the timetable. Our assault will begin
within the next twenty four hours following a prolonged artillery barrage and
air strikes on their bases.”
       “When do we go in sir?” Tom asked with barely contained excitement.
       “Actually, I have another job for you.” The general said
slowly. “It isn’t as glamorous, but it is far more important.”
       “You want us to eliminate Storm?” Tom snarled.
       “Not exactly. I want you to retrieve this man.” General
Ross informed him as he changed the picture on the screen.
       A slight man with unruly hair and glasses appeared on the
TV. He looked pale and weak; even his green eyes seemed washed out. The picture
was obviously from an ID badge based on the pose. He looked like an accountant,
but Tom couldn’t figure out what was so important about an accountant. This had
to be more than it seemed. The general wouldn’t assign him baby-sitting duty
while a war was going on. It was a colossal waste of resources.
       “Who is he?” Tom asked.
       “Jason Ducat. He used to work for us as a computer
programmer, low level stuff. But he disappeared three years ago. An
investigation into his back ground revealed that Jason Ducat wasn’t his real
name, we still don’t know what is, and that he is a genius hacker. He managed
to gain access to all of our systems; the computer guys are still trying to
figure out everything he did. We do know that he stole some seriously encrypted
files including personal data on the top leadership. We need to get him back
alive so we can find out what he stole.”
       “If he is such a ghost, how am I supposed to find him?”
       “When the satellites came back up we started getting
intercepts of all communications in North America. We intercepted a message
that indicates that he is trying to sell what he stole to the N.R.T. It details
a meeting to take place outside Springfield, Missouri with their
representatives. We want you and your team to crash that party.”
       “What about Storm?”
       “All we know is that after their shuttle crash landed at
Edwards he disappeared. No sign of him since then. The others were captured by
G-21 and ransomed to what turned out to be a fake N.R.T. general. We suspect it
was someone from NASA, but we couldn’t track them down. But we did confirm that
Major Storm was not with them when they were captured and there were no reports
from L.A. that he was still there.”
       “I want his head.” Tom grumbled.
       “I know Captain.” The general soothed him. “One thing at
a time. Find Ducat and bring him back. We will look for Major Storm while you
are gone. He cannot hide from us forever.”
       “Yes sir!” Tom responded with forced enthusiasm.
       He knew that this mission must be important so he would
make sure to succeed and regain his good reputation. But he also suspected that
if it was as important as he thought it was that Storm would probably show up
along the way. Maybe he could use Ducat as bait to lure Storm into a trap.
Either way, it would be good to get out into the field again. He hadn’t tangled
with the Texas Rangers before so he was looking forward to it.

Chapter 10
    September 2, 2029
    Stone Mountain Park, Georgia
       “Derek, Derek!” Said a voice that sounded like Rora’s.
       Those words and a shaking sensation were the first thing
he felt as he climbed out of the blackness. Rora’s face