Chapter 11 Someone pressed the red button

The fleet arrived and docked, Alex had actually imagined something big when he heard the word fleet. The reality was somewhat different, the fleet consisted of 3 frigates, 2 corvettes, 3 supply ships, 2 fuel transporters, he had been told that Deuschbach had gotten everything from the navy for a lot of money. 2 tenders. Then there were 2 cruise ships and cargo ships. 

Deuchbach came down the jetty when his ship docked and looked around cautiously, as if he didn't really trust the whole thing. In appearance, he bore a slight resemblance to Gitte and Babsi. He was around 1.83 tall, his hair was getting grayer and you could still see a few cushions from his office days. They used to call him the Baden Württemberg Lion, more because of his thick hair and impressive beard. 

"The city is really safe? " came from him.

" Of course, the fence has been made more stable, armed soldiers are patrolling, the water side is also patrolled by boats. "

"And how? Alex, the fucking depots have been as good as empty since the General von Söttingen helped himself at the beginning." 

"Let's just say I have good contacts." 

Deuschbach looked at him askance. Alex sighed. So he accompanied him to Uther, who had told him because a Russian submarine had docked the day before and wanted to take a look at it.

They went to the dock and Alex saw Uther shuffling across the submarine and inspecting it. The sailors flinched when he addressed them. 

"So this is the captain you reactivated?"

"Yes. He's an arms dealer, or was. "

" So what are you buying his weapons for? " 

" He didn't name a price, the guy's bored. See those in the hazmat suits?" 

He pointed at the Omega soldiers who were following along with Erkiam Uther, taking notes.

"Yeah. Looks like the idiots who are always fooling around as a private army. "

" They're guarding the entrance to the underground network where we get stuff from him. "

" That's bad Alex, there are connections to important facilities from here. " 

" I know, Uther showed me in the command center." 

They arrived, Uther looked from the submarine to them and approached with a grin.

"Ha look at that good piece Alex the TK-20 Sewerstal, a bit battered but still serviceable. "

Alex had no idea about ships and submarines, Deuschbach was pale.

"That's a nuclear submarine ..." 

Uther grinned.

" Yeah. When the shit went down and contact broke off, there was a mutiny, so they ended up here at some point. They guarded the fleet until the food ran out. "

Uther stopped in front of them.

"Oh, the father of the wildcats, does he know you're doing it with those two?"

Alex grabbed his face, Deuschbach looked at him.

"He speaks in the plural. "

" Yes Babs is there too.... "

" Ha! My children can't be kept down!"

He looked at Uther.

"What do you think he's doing with them?" 

" From the looks of it, they can't keep their hands off him. "

Deuchbach looked at Alex. 

Alex looked at Uther, cursing.

"And the way they're doing it, there'll be offspring soon."

A smile appeared on Deuchbach's face.

"Very good," he cleared his throat. 

"So Alex said you're in charge of the supplies?" 

Uther nodded. 

"And other things, he's pretty cozy." 

Deuchbach laughed.

" I need to know something " he put his arm around Uther and walked away with him, leaving Alex alone on the jetty. He blinked. Why did he have the feeling that Uther had sold him out to Deuchbach?

The integration of the people from the fleet went quite quickly, the city became busier and more hectic.

Days later Alex had finished talking for the day and was smoking a cigarette outside the command building when Mike came up to him. He made a face as if he had eaten something bad.

"There's someone on the radio, he wants something from you Alex." 

" Oh... he always wants something from me Mike." 

He followed him into the radio center where Oleg the radio operator handed him the mike. Alex looked at him.

"We also have Colonel Ksinski, then the marines and the airmen and and and ..."

" He really wanted the highest rank."

"They're higher than me, Oleg ..."

" Yes, and everyone said you should do it ..." 

Alex rubbed his nose, picked up the radio and pressed the button.

"Colonel Kaiser, who would you like?"

"Oh, finally someone from the top. This is General Amstersten."

Alex looked questioningly at Mike, who turned slightly pale. 

" What can I do for you General? " 

"My radio operator on board told me that you have a lot of radio traffic."

He took a drag on the fag.

" Correct General, we have started the recapture."

" Recapture ..." 

" Yes sir, we have decided to begin the recapture. "

" How much?"

" At the moment 1 city, the next phase will start in a few days. But they still haven't said what they want General."

Silence fell on the other side. Alex looked at Mike, who muttered, " No marching orders... no marching orders..." 

There was a crack.

"Well, this is tricky ... I need room for the rest of the forces, Colonel. That idiot in the White House dropped the bombs."

"Well, sir, I can only offer you asylum in the Nordbock."

" What do you mean by asylum?"

" As they say, sir, the world is fucked and we need to hurry for the cold snap that's coming, sir. If it is the bombs I suspect." 

"Colonel, is there anyone above you?"

"Well technically General Deuchbach, he's with the fleet, there's Admiral Werners, then General Schneider. But I have overall command of the troops and the execution of the recapture."

Silence fell.

"What will you do when this is all over?" came over the radio.

"I hope that the Council will work until then, there are still a lot of experts missing. Hopefully we can still find some. Do you understand general scientists, doctors, technicians, farmers etc. etc.? "

Silence reigned again

"General, if you've changed your mind, you'll end up at the airport in Kiel. Worst case scenario, I'll give you and your people some food, ammunition and gas to fly or drive on."

Alex took a drag on the fag.

"Are you crazy Alex? That's a general!" came from Mike.

"Yes, and from the sound of him, he's on the run."

"And if he's a ..."

Alex looked at Mike. 

"Mike, we're all deserters for our old government. "

Mike fell silent.

" 10 minutes " came over the radio until the connection broke. 

" Well, we'll see in 10 minutes. That's just enough time to get to the airport."

" You're crazy."

" Do you know anyone crazier?"

Mike grumbled.

" Yeah, what are you thinking ..."

Alex grinned. They got into a Wolf and drove to the airport without hurrying. They were just getting out when a Golfstream came screeching in for a landing and came to a screeching halt next to the car. 

The hatch opened and a tired and exhausted-looking man, who reminded Alex of the Malboro man, got out. He looked around. The airfield was always busy. Technicians were waiting for the planes and helicopters. Then he looked at Alex.

" Welcome to Kiel General."

" You have American troops here?"

"Only the ones left to die, sir!" came from Mike.

The general looked at Mike. 

" So many casualties and all because of this idiot..." 

" He's emotional General, yes we have American troops but also from other nations. You can tell your pilot to park the plane over there. "

He climbed in, a bespectacled man got out, to Sauber. 

" Will, I told you not to take it too much to heart, " he said to the general.

" John, what kind of airfield is this?"

"The third with people and so far the only one where we haven't been met with weapons or shot at."

Alex blew a small cloud to one side. 

One of the scouts rode up on his motorcycle, skidded to a halt and hurried towards Alex. 

"Sir, we've been down the canal, blowing up the bridges, as ordered. But we received radio messages from American ships."

Then he looked at the general.

"Holy shit," he saluted. Alex remained relaxed. 

"Tell me soldier, how capable is the colonel?"

The scout cleared his throat. 

" Well sir, we haven't lost one since we got here and the plans are perfect sir. I mean sir ... " He looked at Mike. 

"Sir, we've evacuated everything we could find sir. Everything that was still in Germany is here now. In the last few days alone, when we installed the system, residual convoys arrived from other bases. "

Will considered. 

"There are 31k generals. From the American troops alone." 

John coughed. Will looked at him. 

"John, I'm tired of running."

"You know they'll call you a traitor in the bunkers."

"They already have, tell the others to come to Kiel. Whoever doesn't want to come here should leave. I don't care."

A wolf stopped, Gitte got out and opened the door for a woman who got out with a baby in her arms. She looked at the jet in amazement and came closer.

"The radio operator said Mike was here," Gitte commented.

Mike woke up from his stupor, beamed when he saw her and hurried towards her. 

"Uhh, there's my star," he commented. The woman laughed, it was the Major who had arrived pregnant.

" The first baby born in the new world General and by the numbers there are more on the way." Alex began.

"Sir, what about the States, how are things there?" asked the scout.

"Overrun and still contaminated after the bombs fell."

" Oh shit..."

John got out of the jet. 

"The order has been given, there were no objections. Just asked if they could finally go ashore or if they had to stay on board."

Will looked at Alex. 

" You can go ashore. "

" Good. Then I'll leave them in your hands."

Will wavered. John hurried to him. 

"Then let's see if we can find a place for you all to rest."

The next few days were very hectic, countless ships entered the harbor and docked. Planes also landed. The refugees were accommodated and fed. New supply tours had to be organized to meet the demand. After a week, everything had settled down and the fleet had arrived. 

Several meetings of the newly formed council were held to discuss the plans, after which Alex met with Deuchbach, Will, John, the officers of the ships and the pilots to go through the next steps. 

Deuchbach, who didn't like Alex, had decided to make him a general and resign himself to play a role in the council. Alex rather knew that he was doing this to have less work. 

It was time for the reconquest, they needed space. Only he lacked everything. So he asked Uther for help. Uther told him to wait two more days. Only Will and John were nagging him about the recapture. 

"Alex, what we have will never be enough." came from John. Will nodded. Alex groaned and looked at his watch. 

" We'll get more equipment soon."

" Yeah? Alex, I don't see any squads heading out or bringing stuff in."

"I've got someone who can get it."

John looked at him skeptically.

" John, where do you think all this stuff we're giving people is coming from? "

" From department stores?"

Alex reached for the package.

" They're empty John, the bandits looted them before we did, government bunkers, the old government almost emptied them."

"Where from then?" 

Alex pulled a fag out of the packet and looked at it.

"My ..."

"A gangster, then."

Alex looked at John.

"John, if you think about it, who didn't fit the bill for this safe house?"

Will fell silent and looked at Alex. John thought about it.

"Here... Almost everyone is conspicuous Will. But who's most likely to not fit in here is the asshole who submits the rosters and the watch schedules and the training schedules. People bitch and moan that it's worse than it was before the breakout."

"Oh him. I remember some said the guys at the cargo counter were his people."

John frowned at him.

"Yeah. They're more than suspicious. "

Alex took a drag on his lit fag.

"Like I said, he said he was getting stuff."

" Let's hear it from him personally, Alex. "

Alex sighed.

They grabbed him, pushed him into the wagons. Gitte joined them in a hurry.

"Hey. Where to?"

"Alex has to ask something."

" I see."

She got in. And the car drove off. They skidded to a halt in front of the lighthouse. 

Alex sighed and got out, the others followed him.

"What are we doing here?" Gitte asked quietly as she walked beside him.

"They don't trust Uther."

Gitte looked at him.

" Hhmm, but you have to admit that he doesn't bother to be present at the meetings either."

" Hmm..." 

They came closer. He saw Uther standing there, saw Erkiam with him. What didn't surprise him, what surprised Alex more, was the woman standing there. About as tall as Uther, dark hair, tanned skin, worn clothes.

"Oh, I didn't know he had one here."

came from Gitte.

Uther looked at her, fuming. "Arrived on one of the ships," then he ashed to the ground.

Alex wondered what that meant,

"What brings me the pleasure of your visit, Alex?" 

John adjusted his sunglasses.

"He said that you supposedly ..." 

Uther looked at John, the smile appearing.

" Not supposedly, you're no longer an agent who's available for firing. "

John gritted his teeth. 

"But I understand, they want proof. Good. Let the major offensive begin, no matter how you slice it. We're short of vehicles, fuel and ammunition."

"How the hell do they know that?" came from John.

Uther grinned and Alex had the feeling he was facing a Cheshire cat. 

"Yeah like... yeah. I'll read the inventory agent."

The woman giggled, her stomach growling. Uther looked at her.

"When was the last time you ate, Tes?"

" Uh... I don't remember..." 

" Go in with Erkiam, he'll give you something to eat, I ..."

She looked at him. "Don't you dare run off, last time you only left for a bit to buy the redhead out of court, and when I tried to catch you, you fled here."

He patted her head.

"I'll be here."

Reluctantly, she let go and followed Erkiam. Uther smoothed his BDU. Looked at Alex.

" What?"

Now Alex remembered what Uther had meant. His wife.

" 

"Your wife looks ladylike in the picture ..."

Uther laughed.

" That's good, only if she wants to, let's go to the vehicles, follow me."

He walked along the path and looked at the water.

"Where are you taking us?"

" To your vehicles. "

Alex followed him, still in the dark. 

They arrived at the grounds of a government agency, the parking lot full of vehicles. 

"Shit," came from Gitte, who ran to a vehicle. 

Uther turned to him. 

"Like I said, I'll help you where I can."

"Good. Vehicles and what about the other things you're so cocky about..." came from John. 

" Ah, yes ..." 

Uther went to a freight container and opened it, inside were neatly arranged rows of crates."

"The rest is in the storerooms and the other containers. "

John went to a crate and opened it.

Alex was just overwhelmed, all this was more than enough and then what he saw, the vehicles were still usable. 

John looked at Uther.

"How?"

" I brought them here, if Alex wants I'll get him planes and helicopters or nukes too, but that'll take a bit longer."

John came closer, wanted to grab him, but looked at Alex.

"I want to be allowed to capture ships and trains, there are still resources."

John grabbed him by the collar.

"What the hell are you? "

Uther grinned at him.

"I procure things and transport them. Haven't you read my file and my function? 

Used to be all legal, customs nodded and that was it. Haven't you ever wondered how your people get their stuff? "

He let go of John's hand.

"You're suspicious with all that stuff. If you've already ..."

Uther's grin disappeared and he took a step back.

"It's boring and ..."

Uther's wife came hurrying over, chewing bread, Erkiam walking beside her.

"Master, I couldn't find anything suitable for her..." 

She stood dutifully beside him, he looked at her questioningly.

"He said you were in a business meeting." 

He couldn't help but smile.

"Actually, we'll be done when I get the okay for the Karper rights."

Will cleared his throat.

"Uther was that? "

"Right."

Will looked at him after checking the box to see what John had stirred up. 

" I've seen a lot of gray traders in the States, but so far none have had high-end electronic equipment that was only transported under escort." 

"I can take it back to the warehouse if it bothers them. Just wanted to add a touch to the expansion plans."

Will looked at him searchingly.

"How would they make the city even more secure? "

"From who? "

"What..."

Will raised his hand and John fell silent.

" Infected and bandits. "

Alex was also eager to hear the answer.

"Set up a security zone outside the city and a canal."

"You can't possibly send people there!" came from John."

Uther looked at him.

" A two-kilometer-wide empty zone, so you can see what's coming from the other side and shoot it down. "

"We've just got a few people for the plans, if they can manage that, they can board the ships."

Uther tilted his head to the side thoughtfully.

" Yeah, I could do that, but I'm using my own people. "

Gitte came back.

"I've even seen several cheetahs targeting the infected, pure ooze."

"Agreed," Alex said. "We'll have the stuff hauled away."

Alex called the motor pool to come and collect the stuff, he looked at Uther. 

It looked natural that his wife was standing next to him. They were standing a little apart.

"Alex, why didn't you intervene?" came from Gitte. 

"Because I had the feeling he was going to go through with it, Gitte. Look at what he managed to do that the supply troops couldn't. "

Gitte looked at him thoughtfully.

"Now that you mention it, the vehicles all look used, but well maintained and the license plates are all Bundeswehr stuff."

" You see, he'll manage and when I ask at the gate, no one has seen a convoy. "

"Then how?" 

Alex turned back to Uther.

"When I first met him, I thought he was a rich weirdo."

"I see, and who's the chick with him? "

"His wife. In the photo, she looked more like the kind you see in high-end boutiques in LA."

" Hhmm, but she doesn't look like that."

" True."

" But she suits him. "

" Hhmm?" He looked at her questioningly. Gitte smiled.

"Oh, it's just a memory. When I was little and visited our grandma with Babs. Grandma was always the chaotic one and Grandpa was the calmer one. Always said that he had a British streak in him and that he'd seen so much shit during the war. "

" Hmm ..."

" Well, when I look at them, I feel the same way. "

The trucks came and started loading and driving. 

The destination Denmark was getting closer and closer and after 3 days of preparation the vehicles, helicopters and airplanes rolled out. 

With the canal as a natural border, the worries of the south were forgotten and they could concentrate on the north.