CHAPTER IV
At the forward base, Monte Cristo was there talking with his Generals, he was asking for the situation at the front lines. In which they all gave back positive feedbacks regarding the front lines. At the hospital, Sebastian and Julianne were recovering after the events that happened; their bruises are being treated thoroughly. The Count is sitting at the side near the door reading a book entitled The Count of Monte Cristo; an old novel written by Alexandre Dumas.
After a while, Sebastian opened his eyes and finds himself at the hospital. The Count saw his son waking up so he approached him. “How are you feeling, son?”
“I’m feeling better, father. Where is Julianne?”
“She’s right beside you, still sleeping. You should sleep again; you have just got out of a terrible situation. Get some rest.”
“I’m alright now, father. I’m just concern… about her.”
The Count smiled, “So… you finally told her how you felt about her?” Sebastian smiled and nodded.
“I’m proud of you, son. I’ll repeat what I told you when we were camping last time. ‘I approve of your relationship with her.’ I can’t think of anyone more fitting to be your wife.”
After a while, Monte Cristo entered the room. The Count faced him and bowed. “Monte Cristo?” the Count looked surprised. “What brings you here?”
“We are honoured to finally meet the leader and saviour.” Sebastian bowed.
“Oh on the contrary,” Monte Cristo smiled. “It is Count Andreas Clavio who led the rescue. I merely provided the resources to him.”
“But still, you’re a very influential man to help someone like us.”
“It is no big of a deal, my friend. You’re a son of a fellow noble, and by the looks of it you might do the same for me.”
“You know very well,” the Count interrupted. “We shall and will definitely do the same. The Clavio clan are eternally in your debt.”
“Please, don’t do that. Don’t make a promise like that, I am just happy to save a fellow Imperial Citizen… and of noble blood in fact.”
“Please sir; it is a matter of honour.” Sebastian cried. “We really are truly in your debt.”
“Honour… oh that reminds me.” Monte Cristo then took something from his pocket. “I believe this belongs to you, amico mio.”
“That box…” Sebastian cried then he tries to find something in his pockets. “Where did you find it?”
“One of General Burgdorf’s men found this at the camp’s security room… I believe this is very important to you.” Monte Cristo hands over the box as he smiled. “When will you give the box?”
Sebastian went silent as he looked at Julianne. “We’ll just leave you two here… Andreas, come with me please.” Monte Cristo is the one to first walk out of the room. “Count Clavio? There are more important matters we have to discuss.”
The Count was hesitant at first then he soon follow to leave, but he stop midway and said, “Be careful with her dress, son.”
“What did you mean, father?” Then the Count left swiftly. “Father!” he cried.
Count Clavio closed the door behind him; he can’t find Monte Cristo around. I’ll assume he left to the Control Bunker. He slowly walks away from the door, but he quickly returned and puts his ear at the door; hoping to hear the two’s conversation. He heard his son talking, “Julianne, wake up please. I have something to tell you.”
“What is it Sebastian? Have you recovered?”
“Yes... Julianne… I have… always loved you… ever since I’ve met you I already know… that you will be the one… but I didn’t have the courage to tell you… head on… I–“
“What do you think they’re talking, Andreas?” A voice said to the Count.
“I don’t know… I think it’s a proposal.”
“Shall we continue listening to them?”
“Yes, they’re getting near the good part.”
“Good… good… after this, let’s talk about the next phase of the plan; Civil War.”
The Count paused for a bit, when he looked behind him he saw Monte Cristo leaning towards him. “Ah!” he screamed. “How long have you been there?”
“I don’t know… I lose track of time?”
“I’m sorry, Monte Cristo. I meant to follow you to the Command Bunker… but…”
“You want to know the great news before they told you?”
“Well… yes…”
Monte Cristo’s expression changed; from a smile with eyes almost closed to an almost furious one. “Then you’re ruining the surprise.” He then changes to an expression he had before. “Well then let’s not get involved to something like this… let the young generations to be as they are.”
“I agree… so… you go on ahead… and I’ll catch up with you la–“
“Now, Andreas… now would be a good time.”
“Yes, I’ll join you at once.” The Count finally left the door and went to the Command Bunker with Monte Cristo.
At the Command Bunker, the Military Personnel and his generals are planning their next course of action. “Monte Cristo,” General Zhukov showed him a letter. “I have news from our infiltration units that the despot hasn’t found out about our activities; all thanks to our allies from the Information Department.”
“Good… good… then did the I.D. also inform the Imperial Citizens?”
“Yes sir… but many of them still support the current Emperor.”
“They’ll realize in time.” Monte Cristo pushed a red button and the screen shows a battle plan. “Gentlemen, we will be commencing the next phase of the plan; Civil War. We can gain more followers then.”
“Shall we deploy our forces then?”
“Yes, let us begin a coup d’état.” Monte Cristo and the generals stand up and start shaking each other’s hand.
After the events that happened during the rescue operation at the concentration camps, Monte Cristo and his forces marches to the edge of Pendragon Wall at the Capital Region’s Second District after they have rendezvous with the largest concentration of his forces at Region III; Central Luzon. As they march from province to province their numbers grew larger because the other forces stationed at those provinces merged with them. The same goes to what is happening south of the Capital Region, the forces from Region IV’s A and B; CALABARZON and MIMAROPA respectively, marches to the Capital Region’s Fourth District, the largest force from the south is led by the youngest general of Monte Cristo’s army; General Miguel del Pilar y Gonzales.
As they march to the Capital Region they sang OMC’s Anthem with zeal and pride. Though they move as a single unit, the mysterious General Aleksandr’s Shock Division hummed their official battle anthem as they march through the Capital Region’s Third District; separated from Monte Cristo’s main forces, as always General Aleksandr spearheads the charge.
Pendragon Imperial Palace
At Pendragon Imperial Palace, the Emperor is at his study. Thirty minutes before the execution. I can’t wait to see their blood, the traitors’ blood flow through the plaza. Then suddenly the screen turns on and shows a face of a female operator. “Your Highness, we have grave news from the concentration camps.”
“The traitors are finally dead?” he turns around to the screen. “You should not have pity with traito–”
“They have escaped… our intelligence reported that insurgents are responsible.”
“What?” the Emperor cried. “Summon my Generals; I’ll be at the Military Wing in ten minutes.
At the Military Wing, the high military personnel gathered there because of the recent activities led by Monte Cristo. The Emperor soon enters the room. Everyone in the room saluted him. “What is our current situation?” the Emperor asked eagerly to his generals. “Why are our prisoners aren’t dead, instead they all escaped and the men guarding them died?”
One of the generals approached him and bowed, “Your Majesty, my men were caught off guard. We didn’t expect any resistance. We thought–“
“I have enough of your excuses, Commander.” The Emperor pulls out his pistol and points at him. “You have failed me for the last time.” The Emperor pulls the trigger and killed the general.
“My Emperor,” a Leftenant General said, “my forces are ready and at your disposal; awaiting your command.”
The Emperor looked at the Leftenant General seriously for a couple of seconds, “Alert all the other Commanders, and deploy our forces. Kill everyone who supports these insurgents.”
“Yes milord. It will be done.”
“Don’t fail me in this one. I will be expecting great things from you… General.” Then the Emperor left the room to his study.
The newly promoted General bowed as the Emperor leaves the room. “Alert all Commanders, deploy our forces.” He said to the other military personnel. “Destroy every last one of them.”
“Herr General!” a soldier cried as he barged into the room. “The enemy has been sighted near the outer walls of Pendragon. They’re marching through the surrounding districts... Pendragon will be surrounded in a matter of hours and it seems the largest in numbers of the charge is located at the Second District; it looks like the leader is leading the charge there.”
“Who’s the leader?”
The soldier told the operatives “use some of our CCTVs at the area.” And they did so. “Good, now zoom in at the one in the middle; leading the charge.” They zoom in and revealed the face of Monte Cristo with his head high with pride. “That’s… a ‘remnant of the past’…” the General said, suddenly the screen changed; revealing the Emperor’s face. “What is our current status?”
“Milord,” the General said. “It appears ‘the remnant of the past’ has just revealed himself; he’s marching through Quezon City… I’ll send you the live footage.”
The Emperor looked at the other monitor in his study; he is looking at the footage the General and the others saw earlier. “The ‘remnant of the past’ you say?” the Emperor shrinks back to his chair. “You know who we are dealing then?”
“Yes, milord… the man we are dealing with… is–”
“Monte Cristo von Terra.” The Emperor interrupted as he returned to his earlier position. “Deploy the troops… kill every last one of them.” Then the screen changed to the Empire’s flag.
“You’ve heard His Majesty, ‘deploy the army, kill everyone who stands against the Empire,’ bring them swift death.”
“Get me visual of the entire Capital Region…” the other generals said, the screen then changed to live footage of the Capital Region. “It seems the enemy is moving from three directions; the largest being the ones in the Second District, the second largest is at the Fourth District, and then the smallest, as small as only a battalion, is at the Third District… I suggest we concentrate our firepower to the ones coming from the Second and Fourth Districts, we will use half of our army reserves to attack the one from the Third District because they are no threat compared to the ones coming from the other two districts.”
“Let’s not get too hasty, sometimes the small in numbers can be the most powerful.”
“And do you believe that theory because the majority of the history of warfare; the small units are just decoys to divert the other’s attention?”
“But sometimes it’s the other way around.” A man said as he enters the room. “Sometimes it is also a combination of both.”
“Grand Marshall on deck!” a soldier exclaimed, and then all of the staffs stand straight and saluted. The Grand Marshall continues to walk towards the centre table. At ease, gentlemen.
“Grand Marshall,” the General said. “We meant to call you in.”
“It’s quite alright… now; update me with the current situation.”
“Well sir, the enemy seems to be divided into three–”
“Tell me something I don’t know.”
The General looked into the report. “Their fighting force is no match to ours. They seem to only have arsenals from the past wars; the Third World War and the Russo-Imperio War; they also seem to do not possess any powerful weapons as powerful as ours.”
“Where is their main headquarters located?”
“Operator, change the feed to their headquarters.” The screen changed to the live feed at the Concentration Camp at Bataan. “Their headquarters is located at Bataan’s Concentration Camp and here at Bataan Airfield; used by United States during the Second World War. Both bases are heavily defended.”
“Then we cannot risk wasting our entire resources to destroy both their fighting force and their main headquarters.”
“What do you suggest we do, Grand Marshall?”
The Grand Marshall walks toward the control booth and used its phone. “Operator; forward me to our Nuclear Launch Facility at Indonesia.”
“Wait Grand Marshall, are we going to use nuclear warheads over Imperial Soil?”
“What choice do we have, Herr General?”
“This will bring destruction to both them and us, we cannot risk it… sir.”
“Sod off! If you’ve experience as many battle as I have… you’ll know this is the best option.”
“I cannot allow you to do that, Grand Marshall.” The General grabbed a hold of his pistol and points it at the Grand Marshall. “You’ve gone mad, sir. This is nothing personal.”
The Grand Marshall didn’t pay attention to the General’s taunt and starts talking through the phone. “NLF: Indonesia, this is Grand Marshall Hermann Kreuz, launch the nuclear warheads at these coordinates the operator will be sending you.” The General fired at the Grand Marshall but missed. The other staffs restrained him.
“Herr General,” the Grand Marshall faced the General without even flinching. “You are just newly promoted to the ranks of ‘General,’ that doesn’t give you the right to do that to a Grand Marshall.” He then puts out his pistol and points at the General. “Too bad you can only become a General for… less than an hour... Good bye.” The Grand Marshall pulls the trigger; the blast can be heard throughout the Military Wing.
Capital Region’s Third District
General Aleksandr and his Shock Division have reached the outer Pendragon Wall before the others so they‘ve proceed with their plans earlier, the Vanguard Squadron attempts to climb the 60 metres tall wall. “Aleksandr,” one of his Shock Troopers approached the General. “We are now attempting to climb the wall, though it might take a while.”
“It’s fine; we have all the time in the world. The enemy only treat us like we are nothing to them because of our small numbers… just the way I like them to treat us.”
The Shock Trooper bowed and returned to his post. Meanwhile, the Vanguard Squadron haven’t even reached ¼ of the wall. “It looks like we have to go through it.” General Aleksandr pulls out his communicator. “Bring out the ‘Drill,’ we’re going to need her now.” And so the Shock Troopers brought the ‘Drill’ from one of the containers they brought with them.
“What’s going to be our plan?” the Leftenant said.
“Our plan is this,” the General brings out a letter. “This letter, Comrade, is from Monte Cristo. It contains the plans we have to follow and must be carried out. This is what the letter contains:
General Aleksandr,
The Shock Division is to split into two; recommended that the Vanguard Squad are to climb up the wall whilst the rest of the Division use the Drill to go through it. The Vanguard Squad will reach the top, if without delay, within five hours; they shall secure the upper walls of the Third District and remove the Anti-Air Guarding System, thus providing a way for our air power to give support to your Division. By then, the Drill should have reached at least half of the wall. It is alright if it hasn’t paved a way inside, nevertheless it must continue drilling. When you’ve finally reached the end of the wall, abandon it and use the Hunchbacks to transport you and the rest of the Division to the other side. I have plans for the hole you’ll be producing; it will come in handy at another place of time.
Sincerely,
Monte Cristo von Terra
With that said, leftenant, continue with the drilling. We must carry out the plan.”
The Shock Trooper bowed and returned to the others to continue drilling.
Nuclear Launch Facility: Indonesia
Somewhere in Indonesia, a nuclear launch facility was built since the Cold War. Prior to the Empire’s invasion of Indonesia they’ve commandeered the facility. During the events at Pendragon Imperial Palace’s Military Wing; before the Grand Marshall’s arrival, Monte Cristo’s Indonesian allies were deployed to capture the facility for him. The man leading the charge is the Prince of the Empire, Luther Frederick; renowned for his knowledge about military strategies, he is the first in line for the throne until he renounces his claim in order to bring justice for the Imperial Citizens. He first met Monte Cristo when he was sent to Indonesia in exile.
At their forward base a kilometre away from the facility, the Prince is overseeing the capture at the command tent. “Prince von Naga,” a soldier said in Indonesian as he stormed his way inside. “We have captured the facility without any resistance whatsoever.”
“What did I told you about calling me a ‘prince’?” Luther said also in Indonesian. “I’ve renounced my claim of the throne; I’m no longer a prince.”
“That is true, sir, but you still have royalty flowing in your veins.”
“That doesn’t matter. Anyhow, replace its operators with some of ours as Monte Cristo ordered us to.”
The soldier bowed and exited the tent. Inside the facility’s control room, Luther’s forces replaced its operators with one of theirs. Later on they’ve received a call. “Sir, it’s the Grand Marshall.” The Operator said.
“Alright, stay calm and act natural, speak only English; if my memory serves me right, the Empire only speaks English to their contacts and the latter speaks English as well.” The Operator then puts the phone to loud speakers.
“NLF: Indonesia, this is Grand Marshall Hermann Kreuz, launch the nuclear warheads at these coordinates the operator will be sending you.” Hermann Kreuz… Old Friend…
“Roger that, Grand Marshall, we are now receiving the coordinates you’ve sent us.” The Operator said followed with the sound of gunshot at the other end of the line. The men at the facility were put to silent.
After a while, they’ve received another call. The Operator answers it, and he said to Luther. “Sir, its Monte Cristo.”
“Put him on speakers.”
The Operator did what Luther asked him to. “Prince von Naga, I assumed that you have already captured the facility.” Monte Cristo said, “I have another mission for you: assault Indonesia’s capital, Jakarta, ‘exterminate’ the Governor General currently in charge of Indonesia, and take the ‘recently deceased’ Governor General’s place; you’ll be running Indonesia when the time your father was removed from power and replaced with one of us.”
Luther didn’t hesitate as he said, “As you command, Monte Cristo.” Then he ordered the Operator to end the transmission.
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