War with Russia

Bear could see from the glint in Dillon’s eyes and the jut of her jaw that she was a fighter… and a leader.

“It’s one hundred years since America first defended European freedom and I don’t intend to duck the issue on my watch. So let’s start working those phones. Starting with the Prime Minister. This time he’s going to get a pat on the back for looking after the Global Response Force. I was told before you arrived that they’d already landed in Britain.”

“How did you know, ma’am?” MacWhite asked in surprise.

“CNN, General. I know, it’s an upside-down world we live in when the internet and TV news has information and live footage before even you get a chance to brief me. By the way, getting the Global Response Force moving was a good call. Thank you for that.” She looked at MacWhite with a smile.

“I’m going to thank the Prime Minister for the fact that, once again, Britain is standing shoulder to shoulder with us. And I’m expecting him to get stuck into the fight. If I read him right, he won’t be able to resist that.”

The Chief of Staff spoke. “Madam President, may I suggest we set up your calls from the bunker?”

0330 hours, Sunday, May 21, 2017

British Embassy, 5, J.Alunana Street, Riga, Latvia

SUNRISE COMES EARLY in Latvia in May, but with a sky thick with cloud, it was still dark at 3:30 a.m. when Marina Krauja woke Morland.

“Wake up, Tom… It’s happening. Russian airborne landings at the airport and east of the city.”

Morland was instantly awake. It had been all too short a night. By the time he had got back from the Latvian National Armed Forces Joint HQ to their base in the British Embassy it had been around midnight. He had briefed his team about the cyber-attack on communications he’d witnessed at the Joint HQ and, assuming the worst, had told them to be prepared for a quick move out. They needed to ensure their bergen rucksacks, radios and personal weapons—the standard British infantryman’s SA80 A2 LA85 assault rifles—were ready and their belt order webbing held at least four magazines of 5.56 millimeter rounds and enough food for the next 24 hours. He’d then grabbed some sleep, now interrupted.

“We may have to leave Riga in a hurry, Tom,” Krauja said. “We’ll need to be able to move fast and be self-sufficient.”

“Shouldn’t you be looking after yourself, Marina?” Tom had been determined not to drag Krauja into peril on his account.

“No, Tom. I will do what I was ordered to do. My boss told me to stay with you and your team. It’s important. You and your radios may be the only way we can get the full story to the outside world.” Dressed in trekking trousers, hiking boots and a T-shirt with a fleece top, she had placed her rucksack on the floor beside Morland’s bergen.

Her blonde hair was tied back, her face flushed from the fresh night air, and Morland noticed a new light in her blue eyes. Keeping her voice calm, she brought him up to date on the night’s events so far. “I’ve just called in at the Constitution Protection Bureau office. They’re getting reports that Russian airborne troops have been landing by parachute onto the international airport and there’s a second landing somewhere to the east of the city, as we can hear gunfire from that direction. The Latvian battalion and the National Guard protecting the airport are fighting back, but Russian troop-carrying helicopters are now landing more men and vehicles. It looks as if it will only be a matter of time before we are overwhelmed.”

Morland thought fast. Better get the news to PJHQ to alert them. And then get “eyes on” to confirm what was happening.

Krauja read his mind. “We need to get this news out quickly, Tom.”

Once again, Corporal Steve Bradley set up the Inmarsat VTC. From his steady and practiced movements, Morland would not have known this was not another drill, instead of preparing to report the start of a war.

Major Jerry Dingley, from the Baltic desk at PJHQ in Northwood, came into the picture and was quickly joined by Lieutenant Colonel Nicholas Graham, the bespectacled Baltic team leader.

Without any preamble or formality, Morland briefed him on what he knew.