The President was holding another emergency National Security Council meeting. It had been two hours since they had nuked the alien fleet orbiting Earth. The results had been better than expected. Several aliens vessels destroyed, others damaged. However now they had moved out of Human missile range so as to prevent another attack.
"Well, this means one thing sir." Stephen Lamb, the Nat Sec Adviser said, glossing over the last reports from NORAD before it was knocked out "we can no longer engage the enemy in space. We will have to fight them in the air next, and if and quite frankly when that fails it will be ground combat."
"All affected NATO states have activated Article 5. We can expect aid from our allies, and of course we have to provide aid to them also. We are not alone in this at least." The Secretary of State said, still feeling dejected that the aliens had not come in peace.
"I've instructed our UN Ambassador to inform the UN Security Council we will share all of our current military technology with all other nations, both friend and foe, as long as other nations do the same." Richard said. "We're all human now. We're all in this mess together. Either we fight together or die together. Ok James, what have you got?" The President asked the Secretary of Defense.
"At least twenty six military bases have been struck nationwide. Many have been completely destroyed, others have survived relatively intact. I've instructed our forces to move away from their bases and into temporary , classified locations where the enemy likely won't know to strike . So far we have had over six million people try and sign up for the military. Trying to process that many people and find a gun and uniform for them is a logistics nightmare but..."
"Mr President !" Lt Small interrupted from the far side of the room, sitting at his desk. "We have more incoming all over the planet !"
"Another bombardment?" Richard asked.
"No...intel says they're ships. Small ships. Most likely landing craft ." Small replied frantically "heading for the North Eastern US. Also California and Texas. Looks like China and large parts of Europe and Russia too!"
"Invasion." Richard noted glumly "get some damn fighters in the air and intercept the transports."
"Already underway Mr President." The lieutenant said "fighters are deploying from our surviving bases and carriers now. Just getting confirmation now that the transports are being protected by alien fighters. Local commanders are reporting engagements over Los Angeles, Houston and New York along with a dozen other places."
"Are we winning?" Richard banged his hand on the oak wood table.
"Unclear." He said as more information came into his headset. Other operators also started to speak up.
"They just obliterated two Air Force squadrons over New York." One Air Force operator said, almost hysterical.
"We're giving them a hell of a fight over San Diego." Another officer spoke up, a young marine. " but we're losing more than they are sir. It's a battle of numbers and they're going to have more left that us."
"We should pull back our assets. No point sacrificing them needlessly in an unwinnable battle. We built hidden mountain and forrest bases for this very scenario . We will use our remaining air assets to strike the enemy at times and places of our choosing when they least expect it. This is just a needless slaughter of precious pilots and planes." The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs said in frustration .
The President reluctantly agreed to the Chairmans request. Slowly nodding his head.
"Very well, but do not stand our our aircraft operating over DC. We won't let them into our capital without a hell of a fight."
"All combat aircraft operating over US airspace are hereby ordered to immediately disengage and fall back to your designated secondary bases. This order excludes those operating over Washington DC and Virginia." Lt Small relayed the Presidents order to the nation's airbases.
"Ok, I think it's time to call an end to this afternoons meeting. I would like to return to the Oval Office and continue my work from there for as long as possible." Richard said as he stood up. He caught the two secret service agents in the room look at each other.
"Look guys, I was a marine for a long time. I know how to take care of myself. I will not hide away in a bunker when the rest of our people can't do that."
The two agents reluctantly agreed and escorted the President from the Situation Room to the Oval Office. Once he was alone in the office he stared long and hard out the window for at least an hour with the summer sun warming his cheeks, ignoring the never ending phone calls . Crisscrossing contrails in the clear blue sky and indicated of the air war above his head. Several pillars of black smoke rose in the air in the distance where aircraft and spacecraft alike had met a fiery end. One, the President would later learn, had fallen directly on top of the U.S. Supreme Court. Luckily the building had been evacuated already and nobody was killed in the incident other than the pilot.
"Mr President," an ageing Secret Service agent said as he opened the door to the Oval Office. "Marine One is en route from Quantico as we speak. ETA five minutes" He was referring to the call sign of the helicopter that was used to ferry the President to and fro.
Richard didn't argue with the agent. If the aliens were about to try and make a landing in DC it made no sense for the President to stick around. His death, or even worse his capture, would be a huge propaganda coup for the aliens.
Within mere minutes surely enough three low flying helicopters came into view. Painted in green and white and adorning the words "United States of America" on the side , these helicopters were recognisable the world over. Whilst the President of course would only board one of the aircraft, the other two were to act as a decoy to distract any would be attackers. A concept that would no doubt come in handy, Richard thought as he looked out the window. His train of thought was extinguished almost as fast as the lives of the pilots of board as one, then two, finally the third chopper burst into balls of flame as an unseen weapon swatted them from the sky. Alien fighters overhead were having a turkey shoot against any unarmed aircraft in sight. Even before the burning wreckage had hit the ground, two agents had burst into the Oval Office and were dragging him away from the window.
"We're moving you back to the bunker until we can figure out a safer way to move you out of the city." The head agent said "Marine One is down. Air Force One was destroyed at Andrews and we can't risk moving you in a motorcade with the roads as badly jammed as they are with people evacuating out of DC."
All of his top advisers were gone. The Secretary of Defense and Secretary of State had been evacuated to Mount Weather an hour earlier to join the rest of the cabinet. The President had stubbornly remained behind in the White House with only the National Security Adviser and a handful of essential support staff.
"Enemy ground troops have landed in Alexandria and Arlington." Lt Small said beckoning the President over to his computer "I have a live feed from a drone near the Pentagon."
In scenes reminiscent of 9/11, the Pentagon had partially collapsed and fires were burning all over. A mismatched group of local cops, national guardsmen and regular army were digging in and fighting back with everything they could . Alien tanks were advancing across the Pentagon parking lot blasting everything in sight with cannons much more powerful than anything an Abrams could spit out.
"Operation Paper Trail is underway I trust ?" Richard asked. He couldn't peel his eyes away from the sheer horror on the screen as the aliens burst through the American lines and began to enter the building itself.
"Yes sir. DoD has activated it. Whether the other departments got the order or not is up in the air." Small replied, referring to the top secret operation to delete and/or destroy any all sensitive government files and documents that could damage the human war effort if they fell into enemy hands. At that moment across Washington thousands of staffers and bureaucrats were quickly deleting files from computers and shredding paper documents or burning them in waste bins.
"The Pentagon has fallen, sir." Lt Small said, stating the obvious. It didn't matter too much though, as the pentagon was in reality just a large office building. An administrative centre. The Joints Chiefs and other senior military officers had been relocated to Site R, the Raven Rock bunker that had been nicknamed "the underground Pentagon."
"They're advancing fast." Said the National Security Adviser "in addition to occupying the southern suburbs of DC, another group seems to be landing to the north and they look to be trying to link up with one another and effectively surround the city."
"What forces have we in place to stop them?" Richard asked. He was now pacing the room.
"We have Maryland, Virginia and DC National Guard units, DC Police, Secret Service and a combined force of at least 5,000 U.S. Army and Marines. Most of them are setting up defences on the Mall. There's a Forward Operating Base at the Washington Monument." Stephen Lamb replied. "
He turned his attention once again to one of the screens showing live footage from a drone. The aliens had reached the National Mall and a vicious battle had broken out. Several hastily dug trenches crisscrossed the once pristine mall. The U.S. Military may have been expecting to lose DC, but they weren't going down without a fight. Hulking grey coloured alien tanks hovered over the battlefield, advancing from where the Capitol had once stood. A massive American flag that had been hoisted over the ruins had since been taken down by the aliens and burned. Richard watched intently as the Marines fired several anti tank rockets from their trenches, luckily managing to penetrate some of the alien tanks armor causing massive blue and orange explosions . It mattered little to the aliens, who kept up their advance. American Abrams tanks started their own advance across the Mall, exchanging fire with their faster, stronger counterparts, their treads chewing up the grass below them. Their cannons fired in defiance of the aliens demands to surrender. The tank battle on the Mall was tragically one sided. Humanity may have been fighting back, but we weren't winning.
Three Apache gunships flew in low and fast, making short work of the enemy tanks, but quick thinking alien infantry had no trouble shooting down the pesky human flying machines with their own portable anti air systems. The aliens started to pour into the trenches dug by the Marines on the Mall leading to vicious hand to hand combat before the drone recording it all was shot out of the sky.
"I need to address the nation." Richard said defiantly with his blood boiling at the prospect of Americas capital falling.
"Mr President, there's no time for that. We need to move you out of the city now." Stephen said in surprise but also respect. Most career politicians would run for the hills if faced with this, but not Richard.
"I'll make it quick. I need to reassure the American people that even if Washington falls, America will fight on." Richard said back.
Realising he wasn't going to back down, the Secret Service escorted the President back upstairs and into the White House Press Room, where several reporters were still trapped as it was far too dangerous outside for them to leave. There were audible gasps as the President took to the podium, holding an M4 rifle he had acquired from the Secret Service armory. The black Kevlar he wore over his white shirt and blue tie really didn't match, but what the hell did he care?
"Get those cameras rolling." Richard said in what amounted to a growl. A camera man gave him a countdown and the President began to speak into the camera. There were audible explosions and gunshots in the distance, but the President spoke over them.
"My fellow Americans. Today our nation has been invaded. The enemy has landed in the heart of our capital. The barbarians are the gates. The truth is this may very well be the final time I address you, but know this: If I fall here today, I will fall fighting". Richard roared, lifting his weapon up for the world to see. "I ask of you all today to stand together. Stand as one and tell the invaders they will not have our planet. We will fight to the last bullet. As long as one of us remains alive, then this war is not lost. No matter what, America will live on. Humanity will live on. No surrender !" The President said that last sentence defiantly, daring anyone to challenge him. The aliens intended to present that particular challenge judging by the increasing tempo of gunfire and explosions.
The President then added one last bit "Oh, and Admiral Kolshek, Fuck You!"
The sounds of battle drew closer. The President couldn't see the alien tanks smashing through the fences around the White House but he certainly could hear the increasing tempo of gunfire. It was clear the enemy was near.
Millions of people around the world who were watching the American Presidents impromptu speech were stunned by the sheer brazenness of it. They were further stunned when something cracked and shattered off screen and the President turned his attention away from the camera and aimed his rifle and fired at an unseen enemy. Gunshots and explosions filled the airwaves before the cameras themselves were caught in the crossfire and destroyed.
"Semper Fi mother fuckers!" Richard yelled as the first of his shots took down a Batarian soldier as it stormed through the smashed open Press Room door. More followed behind and engaged in a firefight with surviving Secret Service agents whilst reporters scattered and ran in all directions.
Something hit Richard hard in the back of the head. He barely had time to realise one of his own protection detail had struck him and was carrying him away to safety.
"The bastards won't even let me die bravely." Was Richard last thought as his body fell unconscious.