But, debauched or not, and systematic or not, the Antichrist had a score to settle. There was rebellion in this Western Defense Zone. His former secretary of defense had not only betrayed his trust, but had also insulted and blasphemed him. He raged in the palace whenever he recalled the insulting telephone call when Al Augustus had announced his odious intentions.

Beaulieu knew that the renegade Al Augustus commanded forces that had three types of nuclear missiles: intercontinental, intermediate, and theater. He feared a nuclear confrontation. His newly created Babylon must not be destroyed. His grand capital must endure for a thousand years as the center of his worldwide dominion. Babylon was the symbol of his power. If somehow Babylon was destroyed, then he feared his kingdom would be at an end.

But for now, he was emperor of the world. His one goal must be to annihilate that outpost of rebellion lest it spread like a cancer. He was willing to gamble that Al Augustus would be unable to make good his threat of a nuclear strike. Therefore, he sent orders to his American commanders to begin action against the Western Defense Zone immediately.

WHEN THE FIRST INTELLIGENCE report came in, General Gladstone rushed excitedly into the office of Al Augustus. “Al, our aerial reconnaissance shows the movement of a military force of over five hundred thousand men moving toward us from Texas!”

“Are they equipped with U.S. or foreign weapons?” Al asked.

“Well, they seem to be U.S.,” Archie replied, “but what difference does that make?”

“Maybe a lot of difference,” Al Augustus said cryptically. “Are you well dug in?”

“Yes, sir,” he said proudly. “You bet we are!”

“I imagine,” Al Augustus mused, “they will get their artillery within range, position their infantry, and then hit us head on. But we hold the high ground, and they don’t have much room to maneuver.”

“You’re right,” Archie replied, “but we can look for cluster bombs, concussion bombs, napalm, even laser-guided missiles coming in here. High ground or not, our guys will go through hell before it’s over!”

“I know that, Archie, but if we don’t hold here, there is no place else. This is it. Get your fighters upstairs now! Take out their AWACS, then the bombers. With five-to-one odds against us on the ground, maybe we’ll at least have a fair fight in the air.”

Within minutes, the F-117 Stealth fighters screamed into the heavens from Albuquerque. The Union for Peace had two lum bering AWACS radar planes and one smaller Hawkeye. For some reason, they had given the aerial eyes no fighter escort. It took just three air-to-air missiles from the F-117s, and the UP forces were electronically blinded.