Get Into James Shorts - 2. We Will Be Free Again

Eighty-eight handed the younger man a smoke. “Since when do I have to tell you everything?”

"Don't you think it's a good idea? I mean we will end up tripping over each other unless we coordinate our efforts."

Eighty-eight was silent so long that Seventy-two began to worry. Finally, he said, "You're right. It's just in this business..."

Seventy-two laughed, "our secrets keep us alive?"

Eighty-eight sighed and said, "Something like that. I don't have anything major planned for the next couple of months. I've got my people training and getting materials in place."

"The orders for my cell are to do surveillance and intelligence gathering, but I'm worried. The new district commander they sent is a real asshole. I'm afraid that one of my guys is going to go off the reservation and take a shot at him."

Eighty-eight stiffened and said, "That would be a huge mistake. If anyone gets popped at this stage, your whole cell could get rolled up."

"That's what I keep telling them. They're restless. They want action. All of these spy games don't seem to be getting the job done."

Eighty-eight asked, "Have you ever read Sun-Tzu?"

Seventy-two grinned and said, "No. Before all this happened, I was a line-man for the phone company."

"Sun-Tzu was a General in ancient China. He wrote a book about strategy that soldiers have been reading for a couple of thousand years now. He said to pretend inferiority and encourage your enemy's arrogance."

Seventy-two said, "That's not hard to do. Our people are hurting boss. They're mad, feel betrayed, and they are ready to lash out."

"Think about this Seventy-two- these troops are United Nations. They were invited in by an administration that was responsible for an economic collapse and was in the process of being removed by Congress when they declared martial law and brought in the UN to restore order. What we plan to do is not typical of an insurgency. Our plan is to hit them all at once everywhere and, once we start, we aren't going to stop."

"Shock and awe?"

"Something like that. Look at it this way. The troops here are from all over the world. They are used to bullying civilians, not fighting veteran soldiers on their home ground. Once they start going home in body bags, they will not be all that enthusiastic about sending more into a meat grinder."

Seventy-two flicked his cigarette butt into the fire they were standing by. He said, "OK. I'll keep my people on a leash. I'll help you put these bastards to sleep, and then we cut their f*cking throats."

Eighty-eight nodded and said, "You're getting it. It's going to get ugly. We will lose a shitload of people, but we will be free again."