The War Cloud

35

Marshall felt the shockwave too from his general’s quarters aboard the Looking Glass plane. He had escaped there a few minutes earlier to collect his thoughts and run through his checklists away from the crew. Now an alarm was sounding and there was an expected knock on his door.

“General Marshall, sir!” It was Quinn’s quivering voice.

Marshall said, “Enter.”

Quinn walked in, EAM printout in hand. “We lost Strategic Command, sir. Our home base!”

“Then the day has finally come, Colonel,” Marshall said calmly. “Launch authority transfers to us here aboard Looking Glass. Shut the door.”

Quinn, not quite understanding, turned to close the door. When he again faced Marshall, there was an open bottle of Jack Daniels on the desk. Marshall poured two glasses and handed one to Quinn, who didn’t look like much of a drinker.

“Courage, Colonel, before the storm,” Marshall said and raised his glass in a toast and gulped it down.

Quinn took a sip and coughed. “Sir, we have to get to our posts.”

“We are at our posts.” Marshall set down his glass. “Remember when I asked you for your launch key and told you to shoot me next time?”

“Yes, sir.”

“This is next time.” In one fluid movement, Marshall drew out his M9 sidearm and shot Quinn between the eyes.

The officer crumpled to the floor. With the ease of a weightlifter, Marshall grabbed Quinn’s body by the leg with one hand and dragged it into his open closet. Then, before he closed the door, he bent over and removed the launch key from Quinn’s neck and put it around his own.