The messenger who brought the request for them to go to the United States was an old acquaintance. At first Samuel didn't recognize him. But then, as he lowered the orders and looked up, he smiled broadly.
"Warlock Polley!" he cried. "Well, what a surprise! How long have you been wearing our colors?"
"Since my countrymen turned against my people," the Warlock answered. "We were over here in Asia when the revolution began. We've never gotten back. I'm glad for this opportunity to get into the fight. Serving with you sir, will be a pleasure."
"Will Linda Rice be joining us?" Samuel asked.
The younger man's face took on a look of profound sadness. "It's Linda Polley now, sir," he answered, "or was. We lost her back in the evacuation of Hong Kong when the last of the free forces were driven out of China. Her position was overrun. We couldn't even get up to retrieve the bodies. Air reconnaissance showed The Coms paid an awful price. The ground was littered with thousands of their dead."
"A tremendous loss," Samuel interrupted. "I'll get my people off the line and ready for the air lift. Will you serve as my liaison with transport?"
"Gladly sir!" Warlock Polley answered.
In a week's time Samuel's troops were in a staging area in Pennsylvania. The Republic's overall commander for the northern sector greeted Samuel warmly.
"We've got a real slug fest here," the warlock explained. "We've had the upper hand for some time. But The Union simply refuses to concede. We need some of your audacity. They're too used to our tactics. They can almost anticipate what we're going to do. We need somebody that will do the unexpected. Do you think you could come up with some ideas?"
"I'll give it a try, sir!" Samuel assured.
Again and again he came up with bold maneuvers that drove the Union forces mad and took bigger and bigger bites out of what territory they still held. The only thing that stopped him was the bitter, oppressive winter that made the war grind to a halt.
It was while they were waiting for those conditions to pass that Warlock Polley burst into headquarters all excited.
"Intelligence got a communique from behind the enemy lines," he announced, "detailing the layout of key enemy positions making them accessible to our air attacks! The recognition code they were signed with were Linda's! Good Lords, sir, she's alive, behind their lines and still operating!"
Samuel took the communique and went to read it. Suddenly three officers entering the operations room drew their pistols. One of them screamed "Glory to God Almighty!" and they began to fire.
"Infiltrators!" someone screamed.
Samuel dove for cover. In a few moments the attackers had been shot down. Samuel rose. Looking around he found Warlock Polley laying by his desk, blood pouring from the side of his head.
Samuel got out an emergency bandage and tried to staunch the bleeding. The Warlock's eyes never opened but he began to whisper. Samuel bent down to listen.
"Tell my wife," he said several times, "what she needs is in storage, medical operations knows where." He whispered the message one last time and then fell silent. His chest heaved one final time, then he stopped breathing. A medic came over, examined him, and shook his head.
"Sorry sir, he's gone!"
Samuel nodded. "I'll find her," he promised, "I'll get the message through soldier, I promise!"
They were not the only ones who had been attacked. Almost every headquarters had received a visit from the fanatics.
"Desperation attacks," Samuel warned. "They know they're beaten. Let's hope they don't get even more desperate."
"Unfortunately, they would, but it would bring an end to the years of slaughter, and finally bring peace back to the North Americas.

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