Up From The Deep by Vaughn Jackson (highly recommended books txt) 📕

outcome of the strike. A keening roar belted and blended with the sound of the static feedback.

“Is that…” General MacPherson clenched her fists.

On screen, General Corden’s stony façade crumbled, and his eyes widened in shock as another roar, clearer this time, resounded through the video feed. As the dust cleared, the shape of Inkanyamba could be easily seen. And she was moving. The shadow was sluggish but still moving.

“It’s still alive,” General Corden said in a hushed tone.

General MacPherson’s face went to stone. “And if it’s still alive, soon enough it’ll be fully healed.”

“What?”

“Did you even research the creature?”

General Corden’s face failed to hide his shock and offense taken. “I was ordered to launch a nuclear strike on a threat by the president.”

“The creature known as Inkanyamba has the ability to regenerate any and all damage at an alarming pace so long as its body remains hydrated. Successive nuclear strikes may have been effective were the creature not right next to the goddamn water.” Her calm disposition melted into shouting at the end. “Only a fool would strike without knowing their enemy.”

It was General Corden’s turn to grit his teeth.

General MacPherson suppressed the urge to smirk. Now is the time for more important things than petty satisfaction.

“Then we’ll fire again,” Corden said, “harder. We’ll nuke the creature until it can’t drag its charred, irradiated husk anywhere near the water.”

“And what of the civilians?”

“San Francisco has long since been evacuated, correct?”

“What about the people in Las Vegas, and other neighboring states? The fallout would cause irreparable harm to hundreds of thousands of our own people.” Her fingernails dug into the flesh of her hands, and she felt the first trickles of blood pool in her palms.

“The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few. There are three-hundred million people in this country. If a few hundred thousand have to suffer for the good of the rest, so be it. This creature poses a threat to all American lives. I will act to preserve our nation.”

Ice cold calm washed over General MacPherson. She folded her arms across her chest. “Prepare all anti-ballistic missile defense systems. From this moment forward, anything that enters our airspace without my authorization gets blown out of the sky. Do you understand?”

A resounding “Yes ma’am” echoed around the control room.

“What did you just say?” Corden’s face went ashen with fury. “Interfering with acts of national security is treason. This order comes from the President of the United States.”

“False.”

“What?”

“The document you showed me has you authorized for a single strike with a Massive Ordinance Air Blast. Paragraph two, line four. Not two strikes, and not a nuke.” General MacPherson allowed herself to smirk this time. “Unauthorized launch of nuclear weapons, especially on American soil...what do you think that will get you?”

Corden let out a sound halfway between choking and growling. The video feed cut out. General MacPherson relaxed and allowed her shoulders to slump.

“He seems nice.” Lieutenant Greenwood stepped into place beside the general. “Aren’t you worried he’ll fire anyway, or just go and get an amendment from the president?”

“He won’t risk his own neck by firing without authorization. And the president…well, there is a reason it took him this long to take any real action thus far.”

“Congress?”

“Incompetence,” MacPherson deadpanned.

Greenwood blinked away her surprise.

“This is no time for politics,” MacPherson continued, “the president will undoubtedly authorize Corden’s plan eventually. We have to take Inkanyamba down before then.”

“How long?”

“A month would be generous.” MacPherson’ face turned grim.  “Do you think your original plan could work with the right circumstances?”

“I would have to brainstorm again with Dr. O’Hara, but we have a more pressing matter I believe.”

“More pressing than San Francisco becoming a nuclear wasteland?”

“Our drones scanning Inkanyamba’s island nest have confirmed that she has given birth,” Greenwood said plainly. “So, yes. If those things get loose…”

“How many?”

“At least a hundred.”

MacPherson willed her jaw not to drop at the number. “One hundred Inkanyambas storming around the world?”

“Not quite. The offspring favor neither parent. They appear more like…reptilian hyenas. At their present size they stand about twice the size of a man.”

The general rubbed her face. “Can they be killed easily?”

“I ordered a test strike. We learned two things. First, is that the creature has a great maternal instinct. Second, at present, the creature’s scales have not hardened as to be invulnerable, nor do they seem capable of regeneration. Yet.”

“Small victories.”

“That being said, the wrath of the mother is something to behold.”

“Yes, we all saw that.”

Greenwood shuffled her feet. “If we want to take out the children it will have to be done covertly, and while the mother is expressly occupied. Or dead.”

“You’re suggesting—”

“Attack the nest, yes.” Greenwood stood rigid and without looking at the general. “We need to send in a strike force.”

“And simultaneously attack Inkanyamba?”

“We have to kill Inkanyamba, or she’ll destroy everything in her rage.”

General MacPherson scratched at the tight curls atop her head. “Well—”

A solider with a torn uniform and a haggard appearance skidded into the room. “General, ma’am, we, uh, have a situation in the hangar.” He caught his breath for a moment. “You’ll probably want to come see this.”

#

“Please tell me that I am not seeing what I am seeing,” the general said as she watched Devonte, Skylar, and four other men wrestling against cords holding the two-meter tall reptilian in place. Devonte’s one-armed contribution was doing little to help the overall containment of the creature, but despite the pain contorting his face, he was doing his best to help.

“We gotta bolt these wires in place,” Gunner shouted over the top of the creature’s rebellious shriek. Just as they managed to get one bolt in place, the creature’s thrashing ripped another out of the ground. By now, a circle of armed men had gathered around the ruckus, guns primed and ready to fire.

“I’m afraid I’m seeing exactly what you are, ma’am,” Greenwood said with a sigh. “Goddamn it, Skylar.”

The general turned a suspicious eye on her. “You know something about this?”

“Don’t shoot him,” Devonte