Invasion: China (Invasion America) (Volume 5) Read Online Free PDF

clothes?”
    “The Militia officer who pressed charges happened to be there, too. The man was quite taken with one of the strippers, I’m told.”
    “ That’s all dirt under the rug, Higgins. My point is that Jake went to a penal battalion. He survived the Germans, but murdered his sergeant.”
    “The sergeant killed one of his men in cold blood,” Stan said. “Jake shot him in self-defense.”
    “Let me finish,” McGraw said. “It’s my picture I’m painting. Your son fled into the army. Quite a feat, that. I’m wondering if you had a hand in it. I believe he’s presently in a Behemoth regiment.”
    “What of it?” Stan heard himself say.
    “Homeland Security wants him back to face a new tribunal for murder.”
    “You mean they want to murder my son.”
    “That’s an awfully unpatriotic statement, Colonel.”
    How can this be happening? I have to keep calm. I have to think. I might lose my son otherwise.
    “If they try to murder him, I’ll—” Stan clamped his lips together and looked away. Finally, he stood, and he faced the general. Slowly, Stan unbuttoned the rest of his coat, exposing his Medal of Honor.
    “Do you see this, sir?”
    “I do.”
    “The medal is supposed to honor courage. There are different kinds, I know. The two most known are physical and moral. Between the two, moral courage is much rarer. My son has both. I strive for that. This is the real world. I understand. There are emergencies in every area of life. I’m not sure what I’m saying…except this. I’ll fight for my son.”
    “Is that a threat?”
    Suddenly Stan felt lightheaded, and he said, “Sure, why not? It’s a threat against you, sir, and against Homeland Security. If you use my boy against me so he dies, send some of your killers to my regiment and gun me down, because I’ll try to kill you and Max Harold both.”
    McGraw stared at him, and Stan could see his death in the general’s eyes. He’d said too much. Jake liked to spout off. The apple hadn’t fallen far from the tree. Stan thought about taking his words back. Before he could, McGraw suddenly laughed heartily. The switch shocked Stan.
    “Higgins, Higgins, Higgins, I can’t believe what I’m hearing. Look at us, old son, two old war dogs having a battle of words. I’m drunk. You know that, right?”
    Stan recalled McGraw pretending to be drunk over a year ago. The general had fooled him then—not today.
    “I’ve been keeping the Militia people at bay,” McGraw said. “It isn’t easy. They want your boy pretty badly. Harold even mentioned it the other day. I told him not to upset my Behemoth regiments, as they’re the answer to defeating the Chinese.”
    “I just want to fight for my country, sir,” Stan said. “Not play politics.”
    “Yes, I can see that. I don’t mean to drag you into political struggles. It’s a dirty business and takes a certain kind of mindset. You’re the keenest mind we have, Higgins. I thought—” The general shook his head. “Never mind, old son, I’ll let you remain as pure as the driven snow. Some of us have to take on ugly burdens so the rest of you can—”
    The general’s red nostril’s flared. “You wear the Medal of Honor well. It suits you, old son. I want to ask you some questions about the coming offensive. We’ll keep this strictly military, okay?”
    “Thank you, sir,” Stan said.
    “Don’t think your threat frightens me, though.”
    It frightens me , Stan thought. I can’t believe I said that . Aloud, he said, “I understand, sir. I get too hot under the collar sometimes when it comes to my family.”
    M cGraw reached into his coat and pulled out a plastic-coated map. He unrolled it and set the thing on the floor, going down onto his hands and knees.
    “Come on. Look at this with me. I want your opinion on a few of my latest ideas.”
    Stan Higgins soon found himself on the church floor, listening and giving his opinions. He kept wondering if this was just a cover, and he