with a gulp.
"Well, let's put it this way," Hunter said. "We're working on a plan that will give everyone a chance to escape before our guys start the attack. And that means all of the POWs, including the wounded ones, and also the few hundred civilians that are left within the city."
Yaz knew right away that was an enormous task-even for someone like Hunter.
"How the hell are you going to do that?" Yaz asked him.
"I'll let Elvis explain the details and give you a tour," Hunter replied. "Let me just tell you that we've discovered a vast network of tunnels under the city. They are actually caves-catacombs-left over from 40
the booze-running days of the 1930s. The gangsters used to move a lot of gin through St. Louis. They did it underground. The catacombs are all over the place, and they all lead right down to the river. We're trying to find out which ones are near the POW camps so we can provide an escape route for everyone on the inside."
"Jesus, how did you guys even get down here?" Yaz asked.
"Again, it's a long story," Hunter replied. "But believe me, it wasn't easy.
By the time I got back on this side of the Atlantic, the Western Forces were /
already laying siege to the city. We knew there would be a heavy loss of life among the civvies but also among the POWs. So we used some radar imaging high flights over the city because we had heard rumors about the catacombs. Well, we found them. Then it was a question of getting our people into the city where they could pose as prisoners during the day..."
"So what you are saying," Yaz said, "is that you broke into prison?"
"Yeah, we did," Hunter told him. "But believe me, it's a lot easier breaking out of prison than breaking
in. . .
"But now there's still a hundred things to do. The bottom line is that we have to get as many POWs out as possible. Every last one of them will be needed to continue the war."
"What war?"
"The war to regain control of the whole country," Hunter answered with no small amount of determination. "we've got a plan to knock The Circle right back into the Atlantic."
Yaz shook his head. "Jesus, Hawk, that will be a 41
tall order. I hear The Circle has about fifty thousand men in this area alone.
And more of them the further east you go."
"We know all that," Hunter said. "But we have no choice but to carry the battle to them. And do it now. . ."
"But why?" Yaz asked. "I can see trying take over this city, but why the whole eastern half? Wouldn't it make more sense to do it a piece at a tune?"
"Yes, it would," Hunter answered. "But there's & problem ..." He then told Yaz about the Soviet-sponsored seaborne invasion force that was heading for the American east coast.
The Navy man listened with open-mouthed amazement. "So the plan is to recover the territory as quickly as possible and hope they don't land?" he asked.
"Sort of," Hunter replied. "Actually we've targeted some key areas that we'll have to win back-important cities mostly-that will give the illusion that we're in control. It's our only hope of preventing that army from landing."
"And I thought lugging an aircraft carrier across the Med was a chore!" Yaz said.
That was a piece of cake, compared to this," Hunter replied, his tone taking on a somber pitch.
They talked for ten more minutes, then Yaz bid him goodbye and hung up. He turned and said to Elvis: "Hawk says to give me the tour."
Elvis nodded and told him to follow. The pilot walked over to the group of men studying the map, then led Yaz to a huge metal door on the far side of the pump chamber. This led to another pipe-tunnel, one large enough to walk upright in. Yaz stepped through this passageway, and less than a minute later, 42
he was in the catacombs.
"Jesus, where are we?" he asked Elvis, looking at the moss-covered but somewhat elaborate walls and tunnels.
"We're right below the center of the city," the pilot replied. "You know the guy who's in charge here? The Viceroy? We're right under his headquarters
"Well, let's put it this way," Hunter said. "We're working on a plan that will give everyone a chance to escape before our guys start the attack. And that means all of the POWs, including the wounded ones, and also the few hundred civilians that are left within the city."
Yaz knew right away that was an enormous task-even for someone like Hunter.
"How the hell are you going to do that?" Yaz asked him.
"I'll let Elvis explain the details and give you a tour," Hunter replied. "Let me just tell you that we've discovered a vast network of tunnels under the city. They are actually caves-catacombs-left over from 40
the booze-running days of the 1930s. The gangsters used to move a lot of gin through St. Louis. They did it underground. The catacombs are all over the place, and they all lead right down to the river. We're trying to find out which ones are near the POW camps so we can provide an escape route for everyone on the inside."
"Jesus, how did you guys even get down here?" Yaz asked.
"Again, it's a long story," Hunter replied. "But believe me, it wasn't easy.
By the time I got back on this side of the Atlantic, the Western Forces were /
already laying siege to the city. We knew there would be a heavy loss of life among the civvies but also among the POWs. So we used some radar imaging high flights over the city because we had heard rumors about the catacombs. Well, we found them. Then it was a question of getting our people into the city where they could pose as prisoners during the day..."
"So what you are saying," Yaz said, "is that you broke into prison?"
"Yeah, we did," Hunter told him. "But believe me, it's a lot easier breaking out of prison than breaking
in. . .
"But now there's still a hundred things to do. The bottom line is that we have to get as many POWs out as possible. Every last one of them will be needed to continue the war."
"What war?"
"The war to regain control of the whole country," Hunter answered with no small amount of determination. "we've got a plan to knock The Circle right back into the Atlantic."
Yaz shook his head. "Jesus, Hawk, that will be a 41
tall order. I hear The Circle has about fifty thousand men in this area alone.
And more of them the further east you go."
"We know all that," Hunter said. "But we have no choice but to carry the battle to them. And do it now. . ."
"But why?" Yaz asked. "I can see trying take over this city, but why the whole eastern half? Wouldn't it make more sense to do it a piece at a tune?"
"Yes, it would," Hunter answered. "But there's & problem ..." He then told Yaz about the Soviet-sponsored seaborne invasion force that was heading for the American east coast.
The Navy man listened with open-mouthed amazement. "So the plan is to recover the territory as quickly as possible and hope they don't land?" he asked.
"Sort of," Hunter replied. "Actually we've targeted some key areas that we'll have to win back-important cities mostly-that will give the illusion that we're in control. It's our only hope of preventing that army from landing."
"And I thought lugging an aircraft carrier across the Med was a chore!" Yaz said.
That was a piece of cake, compared to this," Hunter replied, his tone taking on a somber pitch.
They talked for ten more minutes, then Yaz bid him goodbye and hung up. He turned and said to Elvis: "Hawk says to give me the tour."
Elvis nodded and told him to follow. The pilot walked over to the group of men studying the map, then led Yaz to a huge metal door on the far side of the pump chamber. This led to another pipe-tunnel, one large enough to walk upright in. Yaz stepped through this passageway, and less than a minute later, 42
he was in the catacombs.
"Jesus, where are we?" he asked Elvis, looking at the moss-covered but somewhat elaborate walls and tunnels.
"We're right below the center of the city," the pilot replied. "You know the guy who's in charge here? The Viceroy? We're right under his headquarters
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