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Back Crimson Phoenix
Chapters (37)
  1. Praise
  2. Also by
  3. Title Page
  4. Copyright Page
  5. Dedication
  6. PART I
  7. CHAPTER ONE
  8. CHAPTER TWO
  9. CHAPTER THREE
  10. CHAPTER FOUR
  11. CHAPTER FIVE
  12. CHAPTER SIX
  13. CHAPTER SEVEN
  14. CHAPTER EIGHT
  15. CHAPTER NINE
  16. CHAPTER TEN
  17. CHAPTER ELEVEN
  18. CHAPTER TWELVE
  19. CHAPTER THIRTEEN
  20. CHAPTER FOURTEEN
  21. CHAPTER FIFTEEN
  22. CHAPTER SIXTEEN
  23. CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
  24. CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
  25. CHAPTER NINETEEN
  26. PART II
  27. CHAPTER TWENTY
  28. CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
  29. CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
  30. CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
  31. CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
  32. CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
  33. CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
  34. CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
  35. AUTHOR’S NOTE
  36. Teaser Chapter
  37. About the Author

“Copy that.” He foot grew even heavier on the accelerator.

“Mines?” Victoria asked.

McCrea turned in his seat and explained. “First Sergeant Copley and I had a plan. Before you made your decision to resign, our mission was to be over as soon as we dropped you off. We were never slated to be assigned to any bunker anywhere. Going back to Ground Zero didn’t make any sense, so we scoped out a makeshift shelter. They used to call it a coal mine.”

“What’s there?” Caleb asked.

“I’m gonna guess coal,” McCrea said. “Or maybe not anymore because it’s been closed for almost twenty years. It’ll be a hike to get there, but I can’t think of a better place to have a good shot at surviving the bad stuff. Being inside a big mountain can’t be a bad thing.”

“Suppose it collapses?” Luke asked. “I saw in a movie where there was this cave-in and everybody got killed.”

McCrea started to say something, but thought better of it. He smiled. “Was that movie set in West Virginia?”

“I don’t think so. It was an old cowboy movie. Texas, maybe.”

“Well, there you go. Everybody knows that Texas coal mines aren’t nearly as strong as West Virginia coal mines.”

“You’re making that up!” Caleb protested.

“I am not,” McCrea said. “Ask anybody. In the Army, we need to know stuff like that. You know, in case of emergencies for our troops.”

Luke looked up at Victoria. “Is that true?”

For the first time, she looked at McCrea with an expression that didn’t project hatred. “That’s what I’ve always heard,” she said.

CHAPTER SEVEN

CHAPTER SEVEN

THE PRESIDENT SETTLED HERSELF IN HER CHAIR IN THE SITUATION Room and addressed her gathered audience. “Thank you, ladies and gentlemen, for your attention. I will try to make this as quick and simple as possible. In approximately one hour and forty-three minutes, the military forces in Israel, on the command of their political leadership, will conduct surgical nuclear strikes on the Islamic Republic of Iran. These limited strikes will be targeted at the manufacturing facilities and launch sites for their nuclear weapons.

“As you all know, this follows many years of attempted negotiations and crippling economic sanctions that have had little or no effect on their rhetoric. Their most recent belligerent actions in the Strait of Hormuz are clear evidence that . . .”