When the sky falls down

Six minutes before the Zero Hour,  

When the sky falls down,  

And the wind will scatter everyone like dust… 

(Aria, "Spirit of war") 

   Half a year of endless battles. Half a year the terrorists resisted desperately, but eventually, they were losing this hard and deadly confrontation with the Sino-American alliance. Belief, that soon it all will end, like it should, was fading several times, especially after the Americans had to order full retreat, but now it was really possible that the war was close to its end, so even a short respite was unnallowable.     General Fai saw, how much his men were exhausted both physically and morally. He himself felt haggard and even old, and his head was humming from the explosions of aircraft bombs, which were generously thrown by Chinese planes to the terrorists, who were retreating down the German Autobahn. And now, in the result of this pursuit, their commander, General Mohmar, brought his forces to Hamburg, where another general, Rodall Juhziz, the famous bomb-maker, was waiting for him. The chinese didn’t keep them waiting for long and were preparing to enter the city.     "Soon, we will rest. Soon all this will end," - Fai wipped sweat from his forehead. Now his army was preparing an assault on Hamburg, with most of its civilian popuation still staying in the city. This was making the task harder: terrorists never hesitated to use civilians as human shields, and now they were making the best of time they bought. Well, there was not much of a choice, and soon chinese army will march to the city to completely end this war.     General looked around and fixed his eyes on colonel Feng Quiaolian. She was standing near her Attack outpost and gave orders to her subordinates personally and by portable radio. Colonel Feng – or, as Fai friendly called her, colonel Quiao, - often used this vehicle to move around the battlefield, and the General did not mind, although he thought that his assistant should use something more heavily armored. Quiao was six years younger than Fai and served with him side by side for decades since her joining the PLA. Together they went through all difficulties and quiet times, civilian unrest and the War with GLA. Colonel always was a reliable assistant and close friend, who always gave the General understanding and support. Now they shared the burden of this campaign in pursuit of retreating enemy, and they were on the frontline, with their men.     Quiao noticed the General’s look and turned her tired face to him. Fai nodded, commending all her help and contribution to their cause, then he smiled, to what Quiao answered with the same weary, but heartfelt smile.     "Soon it will end," - once more thought Fai, then turned his eyes to the city map. The assault was about to start.     ***  Chinese were on their way. Time was swort, but tle last preparations were almost finished. Rush was everywhere: remaining members of the GLA were scrrying, exchanging a few words. The ones who will leave were entering the vehicles, and the others, the most of the Scorpion Cell, who will stay, were taking the positions. No one objected, like they understood the inevitability of what will happen today and entirely accepted it. Someone was even inspired and waited impatiently for the moment of conclusion. Fanatics. Suicide bomber, ready to sacrifice their lives with no hesitation only to take more infidels with them.     General Juhziz listened to a short report that everything was ready to fulfill the plan. Some time before, he himself suggested to place a 10-megaton strategic nuclear warhead and eventually did it, and now General Mohmar ordered Juhziz’s Scorpoin Cell to detonate the warhead to cover the retreat of remaining GLA forces. The war was lost, it was obvious now, and making the enemy pay a heavy price for the victory was the only option that remained possible. Mohmar and Juhziz decided to contact each other later to decide the further fate of their organisation.     "You have anough men who will give their lives by your single word. It’s time for them to do so. Give them the order before you leave, then contact me when you can," - this is what Mohmar said during a brief meeting of the two generals.     Well, an explosion of such scale will cover the retreat of Juhziz himself. What was even better, that their enemies will not know for sure did the Demolition general survive or not. It will play right into Rodall’s hands: now, after such serious defeat, it was better ro hide.     General turned his head: his assistant, Jameel, was hurrying to him, stumbling on the way.     - Chinese are here, my General, and they are ready to enter the city, - breathing hoarsely, said the terrorist and anxiously looked up at his superior: Jameel was about twenty santimeters shorter than tall Juhziz. But this man definitely was an example full of zeal and fanatical devotion both to the goals of the GLA and to his General personally.     Chinese... Fai and his infantry. Who would have thought that? The bomb-maker wasn’t the one who underestimated the enemy and he realised earlier then the most that the war was lost. But, looking backwards, he realised, that he would strongly prefer to confront Malcolm Granger, USAF General, in the last battle. During the war time Juhziz came to respect him, as much as it was possible to respect an infidel, for the effectiveness of his forces and for all the explosions of his aircraft bombs. If Juhziz gained an opportunity and enough money, he would like to obtain his own aircraft. GLA methods as they are: steal, capture, rebuilt and reinforce airfields, and it will open the possibility fot them to get their own airforce. Well, now is not the best time to think about it.     - Tell all our warriors in the city to fight until the end. The crucial day for many men, who was ready to sacrifice themselves for the rightful cause, has come.     - We are ready to give our lives. We are not afraid, - another assistant, Burkhan, responded. Was that true? Even if not quite, they will not let the fear prevail. Juhziz knew it.     - We will do everything that has to be done, General, - Jameel seconded Burkhan. - You can leave safely. Live. For our sacred goal, for all of us.     Such rush. And a genuine concern. Both assistants knew that the General was leaving them to die to guarantee the survival of himself and a few others and to take thousands of enemy lives – and they took it for the granted. They believed, they have always believed, and were ready to sacrifice everything by his only word. Juhziz realised that he felt truly sorry for these two poor fellows, but he cast these thoughts aside. He really had to go.     - Our time will come, - he promised before leaving. Now this is the only thing that can cheer them up for the last time.     Juhziz, accompanied by several men, got to the tunnel and went to the hidden spot where some vehicles were waiting for them. There, he took the driver’s seat in a Technical, wihle others were getting in the vehicles as well. Engines woke up, and the last members of the GLA under command of Demolition General hit the road, unnoticed.     ***  General Fai’s forces were moving further into the city, suppressing the last pockets of resistance. It seemed like every terrorist did not believe they could actually be defeated and stopped resisting only when a bullet ended his life. Civilians were hiding in the houses, waiting in fear for the conclusion. But from time to time someone unlucky happened to be outside and, looking around in panic, started to search for a safe door or a window close enough to the ground. They tried to reach a shelter, and a only few succeeded. But more often they fell dead under crossfire.     Fai prayed to the God that it were not his men who shot them.     All of Hamburg was waiting for an outcome. And with it, most of the planet was waiting for an outcome.     Dozens of reports were coming to both General Fai and Colonel Feng, and they showed that the city was almost liberated, with only several pockets of resistance lefts. There were still quite a lot of them, scattered across the city, but with very few enemy men and they were quickly suppressed. And now the Chinese, scattered as well, only needed to finish what they started.     About of half way to the city center Fai and Feng left their vehicles. Both of them were carrying portable radios in their hands, that were hissing, sending messages of the subordinates. And both officers had some strange feeling that did not leave their minds and only grew stronger, concerning them.     At first, terrorists tried to hold the Chinese off, then let them anter the city and scattered across it. Of course, it had happened before: GLA fighters entered buildings and used the advantages of hidden and secure positions while attacking the forces that were moving by the streets. Nothing new, nothing strange, seemed like it... But something greatly concerned experienced officers. What?     General and Colonel stopped two meters apart from each other, simultaneously turned their heads and stared at the streets that were lying ahead.     Suddenly they felt a huge impulse that almost threw them on the ground. Somewhere from the city center rose a column of fire, smoke, soot and debris, and it began to grow wider, destroying all buildings like card houses.     Now everything became clear. Terrorists were not just waiting for them. No, they were expecting them – to turn to ash with one strike.     In the last second General and Colonel turned to each other and Quiao raised her hand and placed the tips of fingers to the right of the eye, for the last time saluting her old friend and superior. He answered with the same and slightly nodded.     You have done everything right, that’s what Fai was saying. This gesture was simultaneously an approve, a agatitude and an apology, replacing many words they did not have time for.     Then a merciless, unstoppable blast wave hit them.     When it ended, the silence came, standing still above the ruins of buildings, wreckage of vehicles, and, in suburbs, bodies or their fragments. Silent forever and covered with a thick layer of radioactive ashes.     ***  Somewhere far, on a safe distance, Jodall Juhziz realised, thet all was done.     Hamburg is no more. As well as Jameel and Burkhan, his loyal assistants, as other fighters, who stayed in the city, following the last order in their lives, were no more. As well as tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands of civilians, who were hoping that the war will end and died the moment it happened. As well as General Fai and his army, so desperately trying to take the victory.     Demolition General frowned his young dark-skinned face. He always liked, no, loved explosions and eagerly set them. He should feel glad and inspired, even more because this was the largest explosion he even set. But he did not feel glad or inspired. He did not feel... right.     Yes, Rodall Juhziz was imagining this day entirely different when he was placing that nuclear warhead.     Yes, he did everything he could. He caused the enemy great damage. It will take long for the German people to recover from what he has done today. And the Chinese lost their most numerous army.     But he did not feel that everything was done right. There was no satisfaction, and not because the GLA lost the war. General sighed, feeling something knew, something he did not feel before.     As if all of this was wrong.     Why should he feel an unease? In was far not the first time to leave massive destructions, kill civilians, and he sacrificed his men many times before. But his consiousness told him one thing. It was wrong.     A long break will be nice now. As well as the GLA itself, Juhziz had enough of allies remaining. He will lay low and put his thoughts in order.     He definitely had a lot to think of and reconsider.