PART ONE

Aboard the UST Brookerson

Once again, Hannah Jones sat in the only seat in General Marissa Stewart's office aboard the UST Brookerson, one of the Washington-class Titans, the only class in the US Navy's arsenal. She was in standard non-combat military dress, which consisted of MARPAT-style blouse and trousers. Sitting behind the desk she faced was General Stewart herself, in a general's ceremonial clothing.

"Good morning, Mrs. Jones." Marissa began. "I take it your mission went well?"

"Yes, ma'am." Hannah replied.

"Well, I must say that I am very proud of you."

"Thank you, ma'am."

"Listen. I must ask of you a very big favor. If you accept it, then this mission will be one of the longest you have ever carried out."

"Yes! Anything to get back at the traitorous bastards!"

"Calm down. I'm not asking you to infiltrate West America- at least, in the long run, they're not the targets. I am asking you to infiltrate the PAC. I want you to uncover as much as you can- experiments, weapons, troop numbers and formations, anything."

"Okay, ma'am. But why us? We're not at war with the PAC."

"The Europeans weren't very successful in trying to infiltrate and spy on the Asians. But we have a better chance. As you most likely know, private journalism is very common in Western America, and there are numerous private journalist from West America who live and work in foreign countries. That's your cover, by the way. An aspiring West American journalist working in the PAC. Such people are common, and it would be the perfect way to infiltrate the country."

"You still haven't answered my question- ma'am."

"I'm saying," Marissa paused, "That because you have a good cover, you'll be able to infiltrate them much more easily and get the Europeans' job done for them. And before you ask why we're doing their job, we've made a deal with them. We give them intelligence- we get our long-promised frontline support."

"Well, that's a game-changer."

"It is. Now, are you willing to carry this mission out?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"Very well. I will get you in touch with a Private Journalist so that you may know some of what goes on in the business. I will also contact Emil Nikoli and notify him that you have accepted the mission."

"Yes, ma'am."

Hannah stood up and saluted, before exiting the room. Marissa turned her swivel chair to face the other end of the room, and began to open a video call to General Emil Nikoli.

Pascagoula NAS - January, 2140

"Gentlemen. I'm glad you could make it. I have a mission of the utmost importance. What you are about to do today- it paves the way for everything that follows." General Jacob Langley lectured to the men of Kappa Squad.

Alex Simmons, in full combat gear and only missing the weapons, sat and listened.

"No disrespect, sir," Christian Hallows, the Designated Marksman of the squad called out in his New York accent, "But just what the hell are we doing?"

"What we are doing, Corporal Hallows, is helping a spy infiltrate Asia. Her mission is to uncover every secret the PAC has. this'll help the Euros out over at their place, maybe enough that they may be able to free up a regiment or two to send over here. Today, the first part of her mission begins."

"So why are we going to New Orleans? Shouldn't we head to Hong Kong or Korea somewhere like that?" Alex spoke up.

"Her cover is as a Private Journalist from West America working in Asia. So we're going to sneak her into West America, and she'll catch a jet to Asia. Our cover for this mission is a raid on a convoy carrying ammo and supplies. Once the spy is infiltrated, catch up to the convoy and stop it. Loot whatever you can find and blow the rest.

"Now listen to me, all of you. Her safety, as well as her secrecy, is of the utmost importance. I want you, gentlemen, to guard her with your life. The outcome of this war is dependant upon your actions today. As you head into battle, keep this in mind. Dismissed."

One by one, the men of Kappa squad filed out of the building, heading to the armory to get their equipment.

Once there, the guard signaled, alowing Kappa squad into the building. Once inside, they traveled through a dimly lit corridor, opening the door on the right and entering the 'rifle room'. This room was where most small arms were held.

After entering the rifle room, Alex scanned the walls, examining each weapon carefully. Eventually, he settled on a SCAR-11 Rifle, the newest in the US's arsenal. He also chose to take a few european-made PK-74 rifle rockets. After that, he got ammo for each of his weapons.

Lastly, he retrieved ammo for his personal sidearm, a Springfield XD pistol. Many argued that 21st-century weapons such as his had become obsolete, that they had no place on the modern battlefield. Alex disagreed.

After fetching a few Frag and EMP grenades, he decided to wait, watching the others get their weapons. Omar and Harper, the squad's support gunners, both grabbed an M53 LMG off the wall. Hallows scanned the wall, before picking out a Lambert Carbine and an SK-3 Semi-Automatic sniper rifle. Faraday chose another SCAR-11, but also took a Clark 3A shotgun. Calhoun, the squad's new AT specialist, grabbed a Vector Mk7 SMG, as well as the FDM-308 MPAW Rocket Launcher. The other two, Abbot and Pyle, both took the USGF's standard issue SCAR-7 rifle.

After the squad members had picked out their weaponry, they filed out of the rifle room, down the corridor, and out of the buolding into the courtyard, where four JLTVs awaited them. Each JLTV was armed with a devastating Barrett .338 HMG, remotely controlled from inside the vehicle. For the puropse of this mission, these JLTVs were also specially modified to carry an Active Hardkill System, utilizing technology based off of the Isreli Trophy system to defeat missiles. It was very effective, but not as advanced as the Active Defence Shields used by the EU and PAC. Still, it had the speed and abbility to stop a tank shell.

Faraday began to bark orders to the two squads. "Alright! Theta squad, you take the two front vehicles, we'll take the back two. The spy will be in the third vehicle. Hallows, Pyle, you'll be driving. Harper, Abbot, man the MGs. Simmons, you're with the spy. Load the vehicles!" With that, everyone entered the JLTVs.

Hannah got in the middle seat in the back, the most protected seat in the vehicle. To her left sat Harper, his eyes pressed to the screen of the MG's console as he powered it up, and to her right sat Alex, his SCAR-11 laid on his lap. Hallows sat in the driver's seat and Faraday in the passenger seat.

"Alright," Faraday spoke into his radio, "Let's get this show on the road!" With that, Hallows hit the ignition, and the vehicle rumbled to life.

The first fifteen minutes were uneventful.

"Hello." Hannah said to Alex, after another fifteen minutes passed.

"Hello, ma'am." Alex replied, trying to be as professional as possible.

"I'm Hannah Elizabeth Jones, United States Intelligence Department."

"Sergeant Alexander Ricardo Simmons, US Ground Forces."

"Nice. may I ask how many tours of duty you've been in?"

"This is my third. My first was way up north, right near the Canadian border, in the Dakota area. Second was in the Carribean, when the Westies tried to come in through Cuba."

"I see. I'm just called whenever I'm needed It's nice that I don't have to spend months away from my family, but it's frustrating, too. You never know when you'll be called out next, and you're never told where you're going until the last minute. The work is pretty interesting, though. I've seen the Golden Gate Bridge and the Hoover Dam. I don't always get to sightsee, though."

"Nice. I've seen the Gateway Arch."

"I thought that collapsed?"

"It did. One of the pieces nearly crushed the APC I was in."

"Damn."

Faraday spoke up. "Simmons, enough talking. We're approaching the AO."

"Yes, sir." Alex replied.

"Scanning for targets." Harper called out, switching his video feed from Optical to Infra-Red.

Faraday's radio suddenly beeped. "Theta One here, we're getting some strange disturbances in our sector, could be an enemy vehicle. Recommend you activate the HVI's shie-"

The second JLTV in the convoy blew up. It's wreckage was then pushed out of the way by a West American tank, armed with a railgun for it's main cannon.

"Shit! Harper, get that active defense system online, now!"

"Sir, it needs to power up!"

"I don't care, activate it now!"

Hallows shouted, "It's aiming at us!"

"Shield online in five..." Harper began to count down.

The tank began to focus a laser on the vehicle.

"Four.."

"Tell Pyle to back his shit up!" Hallows shouted.

"Three..."

The tank began charging the railgun, visible from the sides of the barrel, which were slowly glowing brighter.

"Two..."

The tank's gun finished charging.

"One..."

Hannah screamed as the tank fired it's railgun.

The projectile blew up in front of the vehicle.

"Lady and gentlemen, the Hardkill system is online." Harper said.

"Damnit Harper, that was too close." Hallows yelled.

"Just be lucky we lived."

"Guys, there's still a tank there!" Alex shouted.

Faraday barked into the radio. "Pyle! Back up! There's a tank!"

The rear JLTV backed up and sped away. Hallows quickly did the same before the tank fired again.

"Maybe we should ditch the JLTVs?" Alex suggested.

"Good call." Faraday replied.