Reconquest: Mother Earth

Chapter XX

Chapter XX

"From the information we've gathered, they have settlements here, here and here." Deborah pointed to two spots in New Mexico and one in Texas on the large, worn-out paper map of the United States. Mitch had borrowed it from one of the school teachers and had taped it to the wall in the conference room. "If we remove them from those locations, then we can clear a path toward the Pacific coast of Mexico, which we know is an alien hotbed." 

Corey Goss folded his arms. "First of all, we don't know how credible that information is, and second, it won't be easy to drive them out." 

Mitch removed a pair of glasses that had been fashioned by their new optometrist. Sadly, he was becoming far-sighted as he got older. "Corey's right. Maybe there's another way. We could get there by sea. We would have free reign since the aliens barely use waterways. If we put together a strong fleet, we can attack from the ocean." 

Garth Williams tugged on the strands of his fiery red beard. "How are we going to put together a fleet? All of the naval bases have been destroyed." 

Mitch had heard the same thing. Their network now extended from Alaska to Mexico. In addition, they had encountered others coming through, gathering intelligence and using it to populate their information database.  

"Unless the base in Ingleside is still operational," Mitch said.  

Garth shook his head. "I think you're chasing a phantom there, Mitch." 

A man who had staggered into camp first told Mitch about the Ingleside naval base, located twenty miles northeast of Corpus Christi. When the man arrived, he had a high fever and was hallucinogenic. Dr. Sherwood diagnosed him as having a poisonous snakebite that had deteriorated his nervous system. He lasted a month. Before he died, he had told Mitch about this naval base with an impressive fleet kept hidden from the aliens. He might have discarded this as the ravings of a dying man if a couple from Mexico hadn't corroborated the story.  

Mitch stared at the map. "I'd like to send a small team to investigate the Ingleside base. If it doesn't pan out, then at least we've gathered intelligence. If Ingleside is operational, then I'd like to talk to their leaders. Anyone maintaining an operational naval base must be inclined to combat the aliens. Corey, assemble a team." 

"I'll get right to it, boss," Corey said. 

"But what's the long-term strategy?" Garth asked. "What will clearing a path through Texas accomplish? I'm guessing the aliens won't take too kindly to that." 

Mitch folded his arms. "You're probably right. They'll likely retaliate, maybe wipe us out, but the way I see it, in the long run, they'll either turn us into slaves or kill us. They keep us around because they need slaves, but can't use everybody just now. They're harvesting us so to speak. We're well shielded here and have eluded them thus far, but that won't last forever." 

"Maybe," Garth conceded. "But what can we realistically do against them? We saw how things turned out the first time our governments tried to fight them."  

Mitch shook his head. "We're not going to beat them in a straight-out war. They're too powerful, too advanced." 

"What if we use nukes?" Garth asked.  

A month ago, they had secured nuclear missiles from an abandoned silo in Utah. They had put them in underground storage. 

"Absolutely not," Mitch insisted. "What would be the point of getting rid of the aliens, if our planet is uninhabitable? The fallout would be devastating." 

"So where does that leave us?" Garth asked.  

"Our best chance is to terrorize them to the point where it isn't worth living here anymore. There must be other planets they can take over. It's a long shot, but it's our best bet."