Chapter Four - part three

      That was the end of the meeting. Once outside her office James was escorted to his new 'secured' office. It was in a bunker below the base headquarters and the bunker was in a secured area itself. A sergeant was standing guard, or rather sitting, at the desk inside the first office. He was wearing the insignia of a Special Forces soldier. James didn't need the key to get in the office with him, but he did to get into the door he was guarding. James spent the remainder of the day and part of that night in that office behind a locked door. When he finally did leave late that night another Special Forces soldier was at the desk. James hadn't even glanced at the paperwork for his new squadron. That could be handled later. Right now he just wanted to see if he could figure out what his real mission was going to be. James hadn't even taken time to call home and talk with Sarah yet. He knew that she would understand. The kids probably wouldn't though, so he made a point of calling home to talk with them when he reached his apartment. It was close to bedtime for them, but that wouldn't matter for this call. He talked a long time with the kids, but only a brief moment with Sarah. She hadn't asked much, only telling him she was praying for him before she hung up.

  James had chosen to take a small two bedroom apartment this time. The kids would have to share a room if they came to see him. His things should arrive within a week or two. He didn't have much to ship separate. James always carried his family pictures and his Bible with him.  Those and a couple changes of uniforms were all he needed for now. The other stuff that was coming wasn't critical to him. After everything he did have with him was taken care of James tried to get some sleep. It wasn't easy though. He hadn't found anything comforting in those reports. Most of them had been to do with economic conditions, but there had been political and military reports too. The general indication seemed to be that things were growing more unstable in Europe with each passing week. The people were struggling and the governments were crumbling under the pressure to change things. Russia had already taken control of several old Soviet Union states years ago. It was now pushing much harder to regain control of more and perhaps even add some new territory too. That push was coming in two distinct forms. The first and most obvious was perhaps also the most effective, economic pressure. The second was the old tried and true way of taking power, military force. Russia was increasing the number of troops close to Europe and it was upgrading their equipment too. It was hard not to notice that sort of thing. 

   What was more troubling to James was the economic pressure. Fuel and food were the main sources of pressure currently being used. Europe had outgrown its ability to support the people, at least the way the people expected to live. The farms simply couldn't produce enough food and the cost would have been far too high for most people to afford even if they had been able to supply the demand. While other places in the world could supply food and fuel to Europe, Russia could do it cheaper now that they had started producing both on a huge scale. Both labor and shipping costs were lower in Russia than many other places. Russia had finally seemed to realize where the real power would be in the future world. Fuel and food were the two things that people had to have to survive. The Russian government, with help from wealthy private investors, had finally started farming commercially a few years ago. Russia had long been working to gain control of large fuel reserves and pipe lines that supplied Europe. Now the three main products Russia had for export was fuel, food, and military hardware. Russia had become the main food and fuel supplier to many European nations over the last few years. They had turned the income from that into more military strength as well as increasing production of fuel and food inside Russia. The majority of people working in Russia were either in the military, working in plants supplying military goods, working on farms, or in oil and gas production jobs. Russia was almost completely self sufficient now. The only place they lacked strength was in advanced technology. Most of their technology was at least a decade behind at best, but they were still very capable. They were also fairly stable since they no longer needed to buy a lot of food or fuel.

    They also had plentiful markets for food and fuel all around them. They used those markets need for fuel and food as a weapon now. The food was enough to cause major problems, but fuel was the real issue at the moment. Russia now controlled a large portion of the pipelines that carried fuel into Europe. They had always used those to advantage, but now it was getting much more common and much easier for them to do too. Russia had once needed that fuel money too much to push things very hard. They couldn't risk losing that much of the income they so desperately needed as a nation. They had to keep the fuel flowing to fund their plans for expansion, but things were changing. Now it seemed they might be willing to risk losing some of that income. The fact was they needed more fuel themselves and Europe no longer being the only market available for them to sell fuel in had an effect too. Russia could now produce enough of the food and fuel they needed to keep their people satisfied, if things got difficult. The new markets in Asia, Africa, and even in China would gladly pay more for the fuel Europe needed so badly. That was causing Europe to feel real pressure to yield more to Russian demands in order to maintain fuel supplies. They simply had to pay more for the fuel and give more politically in order to keep the fuel flowing. That was just adding to the growing financial burdens and instability of the economies inside Europe, while increasing the power of Russia held over Europe at the same time.

   The people in many European nations had now spent almost a generation living with nearly daily protests and riots over the lack of jobs, food, and even a future. Those protests had slowly become a new way of life. It was something the people now expected and accepted as normal. The problem was that those protests and riots were growing larger and more difficult to control. The unemployed in many nations now almost outnumbered the employed. The governments and those who had managed to find and keep a job wanted the protests to end, so that they could try to rebuild their lives and their nations. Those without work just wanted food, shelter, and jobs; usually in that order. The result was that governments and even the working people were funding shelters where jobless people could stay and be fed in an effort to keep the riots down. It sounded a great deal like the public projects back in the United States to James. The results seemed much the same with both of those efforts to smooth things out. It was actually causing the problem to grow instead of shrink. Oh they had helped to contain the problems, for the moment, but that couldn't last long. Unless there was work and a way for people to provide their own shelter and food, eventually it was only going to get much worse as the numbers depending on others for support continued to grow. James still had piles of data and reports to look at, but he was already convinced of what the end result would be unless something changed and soon. He was reminded of his recent talk with Senator Davis. It seemed that Europe was dying too.

Chapter Four - part two

    Now James was surprised! He sat up, leaning forward, as she laughed softly and held up her hand to stop him from speaking. She went on quickly. "Just listen for a moment more and then you can talk. James, I specifically asked for you, because you have a superior understanding of people. You seem to have a unique gift for seeing the real person inside even a total stranger almost immediately. You almost seem to see into their hearts instead of just their minds. That gives you a great advantage when dealing with unknown people and unexpected events. A lot of us in the more senior command positions know that we must have more people like you; people who are ready to do far more, far sooner, than we had thought necessary from our people. I cannot explain everything to you. As we move forward together I suspect you will quickly reason much of it out on your own. I just need you to understand that I was ordered to prepare you for something bigger than just being a new squadron commander and top notch pilot. You have proven yourself to be both of those things already. I have prepared a temporary office for you. It is filled with files and information about your new squadron and your new mission. That mission alone will need several days of careful study from you before your new squadron arrives." She stopped and hesitated for just an instant before proceeding forward with the briefing once more.

   "There is also an extremely large amount of intelligence information there for you to go over. That information is all highly classified and for now it is for your eyes only." She held up a single key. "This is the only key to your office. Once you get past the first door this opens a second door you will find, which has a pass code lock as well. It leads to your new secured office. The pass code lock isn't currently locked." She handed him a small sheet of paper. "This is the instructions for you to use to set the pass code. After you have set it, I expect you to tell nobody except me what that code is and that room is to be locked when you aren't in it. There is now and will always be someone in the main office outside your secured inner office; twenty-four hours a day. Those guards will act as clerks to you for now in addition to their duties as guards. They won't be allowed to leave the front office, except to enter your private office while on duty. They aren't cleared to see or discuss the intelligence papers you will have in the secured office, but they can help you with all the rest. That is until you have time to select someone from your squadron to handle those duties for you. I highly recommend that you spend the next two or three days in your office going over those intelligence reports. When you are ready we will meet again with a few other key people to discuss what you have learned and to hear what you think our new plan of action should be." She leaned back and grinned. "It seems I have once again marked you James. You will likely soon be a target for a lot of people, both inside and outside the Air Force. I want you to know that I am still there with you. You just may not always know it. There are a lot of other people who will be supporting you in addition to me too."

   Lt. General Katherine Ann Madison smiled and sat back as she gave him a simple nod to indicate that he could now speak. At first James didn't quite know what to say. What could you say to all of that? He remained there just thinking and watching Lt. General Madison. Finally he began to nod his head as he took a deep breath. Then he spoke. His voice was soft, but it was still clear. "I had been looking forward to seeing you again, but I will admit that I was also very concerned about what gifts you might have waiting for me. I almost wish that I had just stepped down and remained with my wife and children now." James straightened in his chair and raised his voice just a fraction. "General Madison... I used to look forward to being able to call you that. I thought it would be well deserved and a sign of better days. I thought that if you could reach the stars with a faith as strong as you had... well maybe someday I could too. Now I have to tell you that I am growing weary of the struggle. I knew when I came to the Academy that it wouldn't be easy, especially not for a Christian. I just never expected it to be anything like what it has been for me. It has been a continuous challenge and sometimes a royal pain in my rear. It has also been fun... sometimes! I have gone wherever and done whatever has been asked of me. I haven't always enjoyed either of those things, but I have still done my duty. But now you sit there with a smile on your face and tell me that you are about to ask even more of me. I am both honored and troubled by that. People often expect far more from me than I feel I can give them. I have been blessed so far, but I am just a man. I am not a miracle worker. Now are you planning on letting me walk into this totally blind or do you intend to at least give me a candle before I walk into this lion's den in the dark?"

   She shook her head and laughed. Then she smiled and spoke. "Colonel James Andrew Cooper. He has walked with lions and has slain dragons. He makes my heroics seem almost dull. He makes even my career seem to be moving in slow motion when compared to his own. And yet he remains the same humble Doolie who once had the courage to stand up to a Colonel who marked him out as something more. Cooper, you never cease to amaze me! The candle you seek is in that office, among those reports. I will tell you this much though. You have been a marked man since the day you were accepted at the Academy. I can't change that and frankly I wouldn't if I could. You may feel like you are in the dark and walking blind sometimes, but I assure you that those who chose you believe that you alone can walk the path before you. They will also be there to follow you down that path. Now please just go and do your homework. Then you can come back and talk with me. You will understand far more after you do that. And I think you may even be ready to admit that I am not trying to make life harder for you. That doesn't mean it won't get harder, just that I alone am not to blame for it. Dismissed Colonel Cooper, I will be waiting to hear back from you."

Chapter Four - part one

       Chapter Four

    A World Away

    This was the first time that James had gone to a new deployment and assumed a new command at the same time. He would be arriving a few short weeks before the Warhawks were to be deployed. The squadron pilots had just completed training on the new F/A-48's that they would now be flying. James would be arriving at the base while they were still on a final leave before being deployed. He would have a few weeks time to get ready before his new squadron actually returned to duty. Once they did he would have only a few days at best to get things in full working order. That short turn around wasn't the only issue James was facing though. He would also be meeting new officers and he would be building a new command structure inside the squadron too. The former squadron commander and the top five officers in it had either left the Air Force or had been reassigned during or immediately after their training on the F/A-48's.  Three of those six had remained in the Air Force, but had been sent to fill critical spots in other F/A-48 squadrons who had lost senior pilots for various reasons.

   The result was that James would be getting a squadron made up of mostly very young and very inexperienced pilots. Eight of the fourteen pilots under his new command were still 1st Lieutenants. The rest of those remaining were new Captains. He was also getting five completely new additions to the squadron too. Thankfully those additions were all more senior officers who already had experience flying an F/A-48. He would be getting one more Captain, two Majors, and two Lt. Colonel's to fill out the squadron. Beyond their ranks, James still had no information about them. That was one reason he was arriving early; while everybody else was still on leave. It would give him time to go over all the records; time to talk with their former instructors and former commanders too. Those new officers should be arriving before the newly trained pilots returned from leave. James would have a little time to talk with them and try to build his new squadron command structure before the entire squadron was fully formed up again. James had been promoted and was now a full bird Colonel. He was the youngest one currently serving in the United States Air Force. Sarah had been advancing on what was considered to be the current 'fast track' and was now a Lt. Colonel and squadron commander too. That made her another very young squadron commander.

   When James arrived, he was quickly escorted in to see his new commanding officer. That had been a pleasant surprise for James. His new commanding officer was now Lt. General Katherine Ann Madison! She was to soon become a four star and would assume control of the entire European Air Command when she did, but for the moment she was on special assignment at this small base in Germany. While James was happy to have someone he knew as his commanding officer, he was also concerned as to why she was there. This small base had seldom warranted more than a full Colonel in command. It was common for a Colonel to be in charge there just prior to moving up in rank or moving out of the Air Force. The fact that a rapidly rising three star general, who was about to assume a major command, was based in such a spot said a lot about possible situations in that spot. James knew that she wouldn't have been there waiting for his arrival unless something serious was going on. He had done some of his own investigating, but he had found nothing in the news or intelligence reports available to him that gave a hint of what it might be. He knew he would probably know as soon as he was escorted into her office and the door was closed behind him.

   She was much the same as he remembered her. Her hair was now almost totally white, with only a hint of silver. She was still an amazingly beautiful woman who looked too young for all that white hair. Katherine had come around her desk and welcomed James with open arms. He had expected a formal salute or handshake, but he received a hug and even a light kiss on the cheek. He saw a distinct twinkle in her eyes after that kiss on the cheek. That alone was enough to make him wonder just what he was walking into this time. She quickly moved back to take her seat and still smiling spoke. "Oh sit down! I just wanted to see if you were still the same hard headed young cadet I remembered from the Hill. I remember a cadet who didn't have enough sense to be afraid, because he had enough faith to make fear impossible. You haven't changed a much.  You impressed me the first time I saw you and then you went on to surprise and impress me even more soon after that. I have followed your entire career since we first met, and I can tell you that you still manage to surprise me. You have come far in a very short time, though I know for you it must sometimes seem like an eternity since you started at the Academy." Then she laughed.

   James had taken his seat, but he wasn't smiling, or laughing, and he wasn't happy. James had a very strong feeling that this wasn't going to be a simple reunion of old acquaintances. He also wasn't trying to hide his feelings. He had learned long ago that it was a waste of effort with this woman. She could read people like an open book. She was here for a reason and so was he! James wanted to hear what those reasons were before they did anything else. He had too little time and too much to get done to waste even a few moments with small talk.  Katherine Madison stopped laughing and spoke in a more authoritative voice. "It seems that you have changed after all! You are still as fearless as before, but you have learned how to control a situation much better. You know I shouldn't be sitting behind this desk. It should be a more senior Colonel speaking to you, the new Colonel about to take over. You want to know why I am here and you want to know now. That is good, but I want you to understand something first. While I like you and respect you very much, I am still the one in command here. You have shown yourself to be a very capable commander. That is why you have jumped ranks so rapidly, but you are still just a newly raised Colonel. I wear the stars! Are we clear on that?"

   James finally smiled again and spoke. "Yes Ma'am! I never doubted that you were in command. I just want to know what you intend to command me to do. I might not even care if it was only me, but I will soon have the final responsibility for a squadron of very young and inexperienced pilots. You are in command of and responsible for all of us, but I am still the one who will in all probability be leading these young people into whatever awaits us. You may wear the stars Ma'am, but I carry the burden of those young lives." This time Lt. General Madison just shook her head. After a moment she spoke again more softly this time. "You may have changed on the outside Colonel Cooper, but you haven't changed much on the inside. I think it is about time that you did though. This is going to be a lot different duty assignment for you. You have been in some spots where the whole world seemed to be resting on you, but this time I doubt they will even be looking at you at first. That doesn't mean you won't be in just as critical a position. It just means that you will be working in the dark not in the spotlight... at least for a little while."

   James was getting more troubled as she spoke, but she wasn't done yet, so he remained silent. Her voice grew even softer as she went on. "James, this has been a relatively easy duty in the past and could remain one, if not for all that has begun to happen in the world. You have seen a lot of it up close and been a key part of some of it, but things are moving much faster now. The whole world is in an economic crisis. The people fear the future and many fear a return to the past too. The people are scared and they don't know where to turn for help. We in the military are just a small part of things, but we may soon become a much larger part of things. I think you already know that soon the militaries of the world will be called out to either maintain or restore order in ways they have never been called on to do before. They are already doing that right now in many places. I am here for only a short time, a few weeks. It is my job to see that you are ready to assume this command and understand what is required of it when I leave it to assume the entire European Command."

Chapter Three - part twelve

  "So, I understand that you and my daughter have become concerned about the direction of this nation?" James just nodded and waited for Senator Davis to continue. Robert also nodded and leaned back as he spoke again. "There are a lot of folks who are very concerned and for good reason. Unfortunately, I am no longer sure that there are enough of those concerned citizens to make a real difference. No, that is wrong. I think there are more than enough concerned citizens to make a real difference. I just don't believe there are enough of them willing to make the sacrifices required to make any difference that will actually matter. Sarah talked with me yesterday and so I decided to talk with you today. You have both been looking and have seen a great deal of what is wrong with our nation. I wish that what you have seen was the entire problem we face. It isn't though. In fact I fear that what you have seen is just the tip of a gigantic iceberg. What I am going to tell you today is not to be spoken of outside of this room. I think that you will need to know more than many know, because I think you will be in the middle of whatever happens in the end. I think that way, because you have always seemed to find a path to the center of whatever problem comes before you. This nation's biggest problem is one that you can't possibly avoid, so I believe you will end up in the center of it eventually."

   He leaned forward again and continued. "James, this nation is sick and it is going to die. That is unless we take some drastic action and soon. I almost fear that it is too late even now. I have struggled from inside to change the course of this nation, but the simple truth is that we have way too much momentum going in the wrong direction. I don't believe that we can slow down or turn aside enough to avoid a terrible collision with destiny. We have spent and borrowed until we have grown a government and debt so massive that we have simply lost control of both. I think you know that we have reached a point where we can no longer sustain the government growth, but I fear that you may not know that we have also reached a point where we can't stop it either. The only way we can stop it is to simply cut it off." He paused for a moment. Then he went on again. "James, I saw this happening before my last election. I have tried desperately to make others see what I saw, but they have refused to even look. At least I thought they were. I have now realized that they too saw what I saw. They are simply too weak or too frightened to face it. We are facing a monster, but that monster isn't government or even greed. It is fear! This once great nation lives in fear! The people fear the government. The government fears the people. We all fear the world and we all fear the future. That fear alone is enough to destroy a nation, but even our fear isn't the greatest danger we face." He paused again for a moment.

   "The greatest danger we now face and the very thing that has caused us to reach this point is far worse than our current fears. The greatest danger we face is that we have lost the two things that we must have." He smiled at James before he continued. "I say we have lost them, but it is more like we have forgotten them. I can smile because there is still hope that we will remember them. I doubt it can be soon enough to save us from great suffering and loss, but it can still happen. You are my proof of that James! You haven't forgotten the things we need in order to live and prosper. You have both of those things and you remind others of them daily as you go about your life. The first forgotten item that we must have is faith. Without faith everything else is lost. The second is almost as critical if we are to change things and restore the faith we have lost. That is the one fear that we actually need to have. That is the fear of God! We now fear everything else, because we have forgotten to fear the one thing that we should fear the most. We have forgotten to fear God."

  "James, I have decided to step aside from my seat in Washington D.C. and instead work at things from a more local level. I will be running for Governor of Texas. In my opinion this nation is doomed to face a terrible future very soon. I hope and pray that it can survive that future, but I fear it cannot, at least not as it is now. The truth is that I know it cannot survive without major changes and those changes will be terribly hard on the people. I plan to make an effort to prepare my state to survive during those coming changes. James, almost two thirds of the people of this nation now depend almost entirely on the government to live. We can no longer even collect enough taxes to pay the interest on what we owe. That is something only a handful of people in the world know. We pay the interest on the debt we owe to the world, but we no longer pay any to ourselves and we are still borrowing. This nation is bleeding to death on the inside. I am going to try and get Texas ready for what I know must happen. There are still more people working in Texas than are not working. There are a few other states like that, but less each year. The time will soon come when you will see our government forced to turn on the people of this nation or be destroyed by them. I don't want to be a part of that. I hope that you won't have to be either, but it is going to happen... and soon! The simple truth is that it already is in many places. Sarah mentioned that you saw fear in the eyes of people when they saw a uniform. Well they probably have reason to fear a uniform. Men in uniforms are often sent in to stop protests with force. What is even worse is when they are sent in to take possession of what people have. Troops are now forcing people out of homes and off farms. Banks and corporations are taking them when the people can't pay a debt or make a profit for the corporation and troops are being used when required. That is becoming too common in too many places. I never thought I would see this happen in my own country, but I have seen it."

   James had listened carefully. Nothing that had been said was really a shock to him. Some of it was worse than he had imagined, but it was all much the same as he had feared it soon would be. He wasn't sure of what to say or what to do about any of it. He knew that Senator Davis was correct about the lack of faith and the lack of fear for God. James had forgotten God a few times himself, so he knew how true those words were. He doubted that anything he or Senator Davis could do would make any difference. Only a change in the people's hearts and minds could do that.  And only God could change hearts and minds. They talked for several hours about the problems and possible solutions. They talked about possible outcomes too. In the end they both just knelt down together and prayed for a long time. Nothing had been changed for the nation by their talk. Nothing had been changed for the nation by their prayers, but something had been changed for both of them by talking and praying together.

   They had come together with doubts, questions, and fears. They had shared those with each other and with God. When it was all over they opened the door and walked out to rejoin the world. They left those fears behind. They still had many of those doubts and questions. They were still searching for answers, but after talking they weren't frightened anymore. They both knew that unlike so many who were still worried and frightened by the world and the future they faced in it. They had nothing to fear. They both knew that God had walked out of that office with them and that God would remain with them always. They might face a lot of problems. There might be great pain and suffering ahead in their lives, but God would be there with them. Together they had shared much and together they had gained much; now they both felt reassured that they weren't alone. They had each other and they had God with them too. That might not change the nation's future, but it did assure them of their own future.

   James used his remaining time before deploying again to enjoy life with his family. He also did a lot of thinking about all that he had learned. James wasn't happy about leaving America again, but somehow he knew in his heart that he had to go. After the talk with Robert Davis he had known that there was nothing he could do at home to change things, not yet. Senator Davis had told James something that had helped reassure him about things. It seemed that despite all that was going on there remained a core of faithful Christian officers in the military. What helped James the most was hearing that those Christian officers were among the ones who would be making the final decisions about what the military would and wouldn't do inside America. There were still a lot of officers in high positions who had no connection with God and wanted none. Most of those officers were now either in non command positions or were overseas. The big problem was that while the military was shifting back towards God, the government itself was moving further away from God with each passing day.

   James knew that things had been bad, but he hadn't realized how far things had gone until that talk. Now he knew that Senator Davis was right. The United States was sick and in fact was dying. The United States that James had believed he lived in might already be dead or so close that it didn't matter. It was no longer a collection of separate states working together as a united Republic. It was one giant mass of chaos which had little order and no real hope left. The only question now was would this be the end for the United States? It very easily could be the end of the United States, but it could also be a new beginning too. James wondered about all of that and he prayed about it. He prayed that it would be a new beginning. James prayed that the monster America had become would be reborn and once again be the home of the free and the land of the brave. He prayed that it would be brave enough to turn back to God and be reborn. James was going to have to wait and see if his prayers would be fulfilled. His leave time was coming to an end. He was once again being sent somewhere else in the world. James loved his country, he loved his family, but he loved God more. James had committed his life to serve the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. He would continue to serve the One God no matter what happened to him or the world around him. James didn't know why God wanted him to go now when he wanted to stay home and do something, anything, to help his nation and his family. James just knew that God was still saying 'Go'... and that meant James had to go!

Chapter Three - part eleven

   James had put that free time to use. He had gone to see how much worse things really were at home and in the big cities. James found his home to be more like a ghost town than it already had been. His folks had managed to stay on the farm, but now they had a lot of other people living and working with them. Those people were mostly older couples who simply couldn't afford to live on what they now received from the government. They had to either move to one of the cities and live in the public projects or find another way to survive. The people who had stayed in the rural areas had learned that in order to survive they had to work together. They formed their own small 'families' and took care of each other. They pooled what little they had and by doing that they could all live fairly well. It wasn't the same kind of life as James remembered while growing up, but it was a better life than life in the projects would have been for most of them.

   James and Sarah spent some time driving across the country to see her folks and to look things over too. They quickly began to see how much things had changed. Along the main roads and in the larger cities things didn't seem a lot different at first glance. A more close examination revealed a lot more though. There were a lot more empty stores and shops. There were even entire neighborhoods vacant in some of the towns. If you ventured off of the heavy traffic routes the change quickly became much more obvious. The medium sized cities were worse and the small cities and towns were much the same as James had seen in his own home town. They were becoming ghost towns with only the older residents refusing to leave. One of the biggest shocks to them was the lack of simple everyday stuff once you got off the heavily traveled routes. They found almost no convenience stores or even fast food chain stores. You had to be careful or you could find yourself short of gas too. That was just a small part of what they saw though. Most of the roads were in terrible shape. James also noted that a lot of other stuff wasn't being properly maintained either. It was getting bad in a hurry.

   They also noticed another disturbing change as they moved away from the coast and into the center of the nation. It was obviously dying. Oh there were still communities; some looked almost like they had before things had truly begun changing. If you looked a little closer though you noticed that there was no real life left in them. The people were just moving along with no real energy or urgency. Everything seemed to be drab and dreary. There was little sign of anything new or improved to be seen. The people were just trying to exist and little more. It was the farms that hit James the hardest though. Many of them were simply empty now. The homes abandoned right along with the fields. Out in the plains the big farms were still in operation, but it was easy for someone who had grown up on a farm to see that even they had changed. They looked different to James. It took him a while to see exactly what had changed and understand it, but he finally did. They were only corporate businesses now, the people were just employees. There was no love of the land or the work to be seen. Equipment looked to be patched up and in need of serious maintenance. The farm fields were in even worse condition. It was obvious to James that the people no longer cared for the land or the work they did on that land. They did just enough to keep a job and that wasn't a lot. The owners were corporations who had no real understanding of farming or love for it. It was all about farming for profit now.

   It was much the same on the farms as it had been in the factories and stores in the bigger cities. There were lots of people working and living out their daily lives, but very few of them actually seemed to be happy anymore. In fact they often were just plain rude and inconsiderate. Sarah told James that it had been getting that way for a long time, but not this bad. They also noticed that people in uniforms weren't shown much respect at all now. That was a major concern, but James was more concerned by what he did see than what he didn't. Respect was something he thought the people in uniform deserved, but he often saw a look of almost fear in the eyes of the people who watched those in uniform the closest. That really bothered James. Why would the people of America be afraid of their own soldiers? He had no answer to that question, not until they reached Texas and he was able to talk to Sarah's dad.

   Their second day back Senator Robert Davis had invited James into his office and closed the door behind them. James had grown much closer to Sarah's dad over the years, but he had also learned how to tell the difference between Robert Davis the father and Robert Davis the Senator. Today James knew he would be speaking with Senator Davis. Once they were both seated James was certain he was facing Senator Davis today. James was sitting in front of the desk and Robert was sitting behind it. James just waited in silence. He had been invited to this private meeting, so it was up to the Senator to start it.  Senator Robert Davis was near the end of his term. He was also soon going to have to make a decision about that. He could run again for the Senate or he could simply step down. There was speculation that he was considering a run for President instead. James wondered if that was the reason behind this unexpected talk.

   Robert Davis had been trying to decide what to do for a long time. In fact he had been questioning things since before this term in the Senate had started for him almost five years ago. Now that it was about to come to an end he had to make a decision. He was relatively sure of what he was going to decide, but he wanted to see what this young man said first. He smiled as he studied him again. James Andrew Cooper, the Ironman, soldier and hero, husband and father. A man who was leaving large tracks behind in the world without even knowing it. Senator Davis studied his son-in-law carefully before speaking. This young man had proven himself to be far more than many would have believed he could be. He had proven himself time and again to be courageous enough and faithful enough to go and do what many said couldn't be done. Robert Davis was aware of the questions James had been asking. Now he had to decide if he could or even should give him a few answers to those difficult questions. As he studied James he began to smile and nod. Then he leaned forward to speak.

Chapter Three - part ten

  His flight path over North Korea hadn't been approved by command. The North Koreans were calling that an act of war by the United States. James spent many hours each day in front of commanding officers and high ranking politicians being grilled about it. It might have been the end of his career, if they could have proved his actual flight path, but not even the United States could totally confirm that flight path. Once he had cleared Japan's shoreline he had gone low and stayed low. The F/A-48 was called 'the ghost' because it was just that, a ghost on radar. Even when he had come back up, once over North Korea, radar hadn't been able to pinpoint them again. If James had spread his flight out a little more it was doubtful they would have even caught the glimpses of the radar echo's they had of his fight. Those glimpses weren't enough to prove it was even his flight. James would only say that he had taken the best path to avoid detection. Thankfully, Brig. General Samantha Johns had supported him and that along with the lack of solid proof of his actual fight path had saved his career. That and the fact that he had managed to force the Chinese to leave South Korea. It was a very shameful event for China. General Sang hadn't been heard from at all since the event. The Chinese military had been forced to back down by a much smaller force from the United States, both in the air and on the ground. The big dog had been forced to tuck tail and go home! A very bad situation had gotten a lot better for some and a lot worse for others. It still wasn't good for anyone, but it was better for some than it had been for a long time.

   There were a few other things that came out of all of that mess too. Japan had been watching and decided that an expansion of United States bases, especially the air bases was a good idea. They weren't alone in changing their opinions of the value of a large and strong United States military presence. South Korea not only asked for more troops and that they return to guarding the DMZ. They now demanded that the United States base only F/A-48's in their nation. They had seen China's lack of respect for Korea's jets and they had seen the way China had regarded the United States jets currently based there. South Korea now understood that without the United States they would likely fall to China in a matter of months, if not weeks or even days. While James got most of the blame for all of the bad things that had happened on the Korean Peninsula, he didn't get much credit for any of the good things that resulted from it. But there were those who had noticed the good things and those who did appreciate his efforts.  Unfortunately for James the result of that notice wasn't what he would have hoped for.

   James was now seen as too good at being a warrior/diplomat to stand down with the rest of the 77th when it finally went home. He was quietly reassigned to a newly outfitted squadron of F/A-48's. This one was headed to Europe. He was headed to Spangdahlem AB, Germany with the newly outfitted 480th fighter squadron, the Warhawks. Once again he would be the Squadron commander, but this time Sarah wouldn't be going along with him. She was returning to Shaw AFB, with the 77th. She was to become the new squadron commander of the 77th after being promoted to Lt. Colonel for her work in the expansion of the bases in Japan. James wasn't happy about any of that except for her promotion, but he saw little he could do without one or both of them resigning. Sarah talked about resigning, but James knew she wasn't ready to leave the Air Force. She loved to fly and she still felt like she was making a difference. The worst part for James would be missing the kids. They were growing up faster than he had believed possible. He couldn't begin to imagine how much they would change while he was gone.

    James had been doing a lot of praying and a lot of just plain talking to God lately. He had spent two long duty cycles, three years in Japan. Japan wasn't a bad place to be, but it wasn't home. Now he was leaving one big mess behind and heading into another one in a different part of the world. Only this time he wasn't just going to be far from his home, he was going to be far from his wife and kids too. The world seemed to be in a nose dive towards disaster. James saw no way to pull it up and out of that dive. Why was he doing this? Why was he the one being sent into one mess after another around the world? James was asking the questions, but God wasn't giving him the answers. He and Sarah had spent a lot of sleepless nights talking and praying together. The answers still hadn't come for them. They finally had to make a decision about these new orders. They could resign and walk away, but what then? They could just continue to go where orders took them too. Sarah had finally asked James if he really believed that God had told him to go all those years ago when he had been making his choice about the Academy. James hadn't hesitated. He said, "I know God said go. I just don't know why." Sarah had just smiled and nodded. Then she had whispered softly as she held him close to her. "I will miss you, but unless you hear Him say different... I think you still need to go whenever and wherever God sends you."

   That had been what had made him decide to go, even though it would split their family apart again. God had told James to start this journey and until God said stop... they both believed that the journey had to continue. They had a fine send off from Japan. Once more they had both quietly received more commendations. Both James and Sarah had received the Distinguished Service Medal; James for his service in South Korea and Sarah for her service in Japan. Brigadier General Johns had made it very clear to both of them before they left, that the Air Force needed them both. She wasn't a Christian per say, but she did believe there was a higher power. She and James had become friends, but she and Sarah had become close friends. She had even become known as 'Aunt Sammy' around the house with the kids. She had told James and Sarah that no matter what anyone said she knew that God was the one giving them their orders and they would be fools to disobey those orders. They flew back to Shaw AFB together and everyone in the 77th got a few weeks leave. This easy tour had turned out to be one of the hardest tours of all for the entire squadron. 

Chapter Three - part nine

   China tried to resist being pushed out. They wanted to remain firmly entrenched in South Korea, but the people and the government now wanted them out! As the people began to push, China pushed back, and soon American troops were involved. That wasn't too bad at first. The world might see China as the big dog now, but China had no desire to start anything major with the United States while Russia was virtually and literally sitting on top of them too. The situation was still growing worse each day. China finally tried to establish a force along the South Korean side of the DMZ in order to keep a foothold. The South Korean military tried to force them back and that suddenly turned into a battle. It wasn't a major battle, but they were shooting at each other. The Chinese called in air support which drew an immediate response from both the South Korean and United States Air Force. The problem was the U.S. responded with the F-35's that were based in South Korea. The Chinese weren't intimidated or even concerned with those, any more than they had been with South Korea's even older jets. China had their best jets in the air and pointedly warned the American jets to stay clear of the immediate area. Soon there was an air battle in progress too. Several American jets were hit as were several of the Chinese jets. South Korea's jets had simply left the area shortly after the shooting began.

   That was when James arrived on the scene. A pitched battle was now going on both on the ground and in the air. But neither of the sides involved was aware that F/A-48's had arrived on the scene. James had four jets on his wing and Sarah had four more on her wing. The Chinese had scrambled everything they had based in North Korea. Even with a few jets damaged and returning to base they had at least a three to one advantage. James had been listening and watching as he flew into the area. He had done something that nobody would have expected or approved of. He had come in low along the coast of China until he reached North Korea. Then he had taken his entire flight down across North Korea itself. James had been moving fast, so it would be hard to pick them up along the coast, but they had slowed once over North Korea and came in at a normal cruise speed for a J-33 fighter. If anyone had noticed them at all, it might appear to be more reinforcements coming in from China. James had hoped to arrive either completely undetected or disregarded because of his trick. He quickly took action once he was in place and hadn't been seen.

   James and his flight of jets immediately dropped into position behind a group of J-33's. He had left Sarah's flight sitting in a high cover position as an added surprise if they were needed. As he dropped into the madness James spoke for the first time over the radio. He spoke over an open broadcast, so that all involved could hear him. "This is Ironman. I am squadron leader of the 77th fighter squadron of the United States Air Force. You have engaged and fired upon other United States aircraft. You will disengage and leave this area or we will remove you, with force if required. I will not warn you again. Break off and vacate this area. We will do the same once all of your planes and those you have attacked are clear of the area. Until you are again north of the DMZ you will be considered hostile and treated as such." The response was immediate and expected. The Chinese jets tried to break off from James, but still remain in the area south of the DMZ. James heard the commander of the Chinese jets giving orders, in Chinese for them to remain in the area, all while he called for more backup and asked the ground commander to try to get missile locks on the F/A-48's. James smiled and spoke again; in Chinese this time. "I speak Chinese and if you try to engage, or lock missiles, I will shoot down every jet and destroy ever ground unit that does so, with NO exceptions! This battle is over for you! Break off before it becomes much worse for everyone than it already is. If they could get a missile lock, they would have done it. I had a lock available on you and your wingman when I first broke silence. I still do have, if I am forced into this a fight you won't survive. Now break off!"

   This time the Chinese commander spoke in plain English over an open channel. "I am 'The Dragon' and I can't do as you ask. Our troops have come under fire and we will defend them. I suggest that you break off before this gets out of hand. We are only defending our troops. Have your people withdrawn from the battle and this will be over. You may have done well against old and outdated planes, but we are flying planes that can easily beat yours. My pilots are more experienced and we far outnumber you. Stand down before we are forced to show you how overmatched you really are." James had suspected this might be who was in charge. 'The Dragon' was the call sign of the top Chinese fighter pilot. General Chin Lo Sang was an ace several times over. He had been fighting along the borders of China for years. He had no less that 16 confirmed kills and was said to be one of the best pilots in the world. James didn't want this to become a bigger mess than it was, but he had orders to deal with this and deal with it he would!

   James replied to the Dragon in a soft calm voice as he sent encrypted text messages to his own flight and Sarah's. "Dragon, I have heard a great deal about you, but let me be clear. I cannot and will not break off. You must leave the area willingly or we will make you leave with force." As he spoke those last words James and his flight demonstrated how forceful an F/A-48 could be in a fight. They fired a single modulated pulse with no bullet. It wasn't even a burst, just a single pulse. Each of his flight had been targeting a separate plane and now all five of those planes were hit. One of them belonged to General Sang.  After that James continued speaking over open air. "That was a gentle tap on the shoulder General Sang. We have made significant improvements to our weapons. That was just a tap. It should have reset or disrupted most of your systems and it might have knocked some completely out, but you should have sustained no major damage. The next time I will order a slap. That will result in slightly more damage. Though still not extreme... it will be major damage! If you still choose to remain engaged after that; I will order my flight to throw a few punches. Those will do extreme damage and will likely destroy planes. If you still chose to remain south of the DMZ after that, then I will order all planes to engage and destroy. General Sang, I assure you I have spoken the truth. That was just a tap and as you no doubt know by now I have been able to remain locked on your jet and could easily destroy you. This is your last warning. I can and will do what I have said I would do... now please. Break off!"

    There was a moment of silence and then a sharp order in Chinese was given for the jets to break off and return to the north side of the DMZ. James waited a moment and then spoke again in Chinese. "General Sang, you have my respect and my thanks. I didn't want to start a war. Now I ask that you try to get the ground commanders to show as much wisdom and withdraw from the south side of the DMZ.  As soon as you are clear we will be taking up positions on the southern side of the DMZ and I have been ordered to assist in removing any unauthorized forces from the DMZ area. Please pass that along. I can and will obey my orders regardless of the final cost, Ironman out." In a few minutes the last of the Chinese aircraft had reached the North Korean side of the DMZ. The ground forces had ceased fire too, but it was several hours before they actually began to leave. That hadn't been a pleasant few hours and the days after weren't too pleasant for James either! 

Chapter Three - part eight

   James had managed to get that done quickly. That had caused a change, but James wasn't sure it was a good change. China had backed away from South Korean air space, but had begun flying far more often along the edge of Japan's air space. They had also taken to trying to 'escort' the F/A-48's when they came close to any of the borders they were supposed to be patrolling. Those escorts were normally in a ratio of at least two to one and sometimes more. James thought it was an attempt to show that China could track the F/A-48's and weren't afraid of them. A lot of very high ranking brass was getting very concerned about the level of tension that seemed to be building up. James was more concerned with the strain that was being put on men and equipment. It was hard to maintain around the clock flights with just one squadron, but that was what he was being asked to do. The brass simply wouldn't allow the 67th to participate in the extended patrols that the 77th was flying. The longer patrols and more of them, was making life very difficult for the pilots and crews of the 77th.

   Weeks turned into months and there was little change in the entire situation from a military point of view. It was starting to change drastically in both political and public areas though. The pressure from China had taken a toll on the business South Korea depended on and that had taken a toll on the people in South Korea. China was beginning to look like a better choice to more and more of the people in South Korea. Those who owned and ran the businesses didn't feel that way, but the average workers did. There was a growing push for more reductions in the American presence inside South Korea. That was bad enough, but James was more concerned about the other things that push was causing. The effect on the South Korea people was actually being felt around the world. The world economy hadn't been doing well for a long time. Only a few countries had managed any real business or economic growth in years. Most of those were among the poorest in the world to begin with. The wealthy nations had been in decline now for many years, but that decline was suddenly getting much worse. It was being felt around the world, but especially in America.

  Finally the riots began to change in South Korea. Those riots had been over lost jobs and hungry people. They went from mostly peaceful anti-government protests to violent street riots. It wasn't long before the nation was one massive riot over food and jobs. That gave China an opening and they used it! They started to offer food aid. The aid was actually offered from North Korea, the same nation that had people starving inside it only a few months earlier. James suspected they still did have people starving. In spite of that fact it was only a few days before the aid was crossing the DMZ and with it troops... lots of troops! They were supposed to be coming to help restore order too. The troops were mostly North Korean, but the officers weren't. They were almost exclusively Chinese. Within a few weeks James had been ordered to stand down from his around the clock patrols. He still flew the extended patrols, but they were just a token show of force now. South Korea was slowly being taken over and there was little that could be done to stop it. The effect of that was far greater than James had feared it might be. The world was beginning to look at China as being the 'big dog' in the area. America was no longer the nation everyone looked at first. Now the world was looking at China first.

    What had slowly been happening almost unnoticed for years was now suddenly very apparent to a lot more people in the world. That sudden awareness caused some very sudden shifts in the balance of power worldwide. It shifted not only the military balance of power, but also the economic balance of power. That is turn would very soon begin to shift the social balance of the people in the world too. Those who had much were losing far more than those who never had much to begin with. China's sudden move to become the big dog wasn't unchallenged though. Russia began to push too. They had been pushing in Europe for decades and had been regaining power and influence, if not outright control. The world suddenly changing so rapidly and so profoundly, almost overnight, though it had actually taken decades, hit the United States very hard. The military balance of power was little changed in truth. The United States was still very capable and had a very powerful military. It was the perception of the people that had changed. That perception had been changed more because of the economic changes in the world, than because of any military changes. The people were afraid!

   China was now a present and powerful force inside South Korea. They now had close access to the American military bases still located inside South Korea. That sudden change had made it very hard to maintain the security of those bases, but even more difficult to consider leaving them behind. As time moved forward things began to shift once more. The Chinese being in South Korea had virtually destroyed all growth and soon caused a lot more pain for the people. Businesses were now looking for other places to do business, because they feared China would soon be in total control. China had been able to just slowly take over the North, because the people had barely been surviving and had no voice. South Koreans who had lived better lives were now struggling to feed themselves, but they still had a voice. The Chinese had been counting on the loss of so much causing the people to turn to them. That plan didn't work out so well for the Chinese. They had tried to act like a helping hand from North Korea, but the people soon saw them as a destructive force that was causing all of this suffering. Once more things were changing in major ways. The people of South Korea began pushing for China to leave their nation!

   James and the 77th should have been rotated out, but instead their deployment was extended. They would be staying for another 18 months. James had been hoping to get back home, but that wasn't going to happen yet. Things at home had gotten a lot worse because of the changes in the world. South Korean production had fallen and China had been facing export sanctions, so costs for most cheap items had suddenly spiked worldwide. The law of supply and demand had made a real mess of the world markets and it seemed to be hitting America much harder this time. Most of the stores and even a lot of factories in America depended on goods from China and South Korea. Those goods were suddenly in short supply and cost much more when you could get them. That had caused some major cutbacks in the United States. It was affecting everyone, even the military. Once again they were cutting military spending to fund more social spending, because more people just couldn't make it without government aid. Unfortunately a lot of military families were being pushed out too. It was cheaper to care for single soldiers than to care for soldiers with families. That was probably adding more to the problem than helping it, but once more it seemed that the people in charge had eyes, but couldn't see.

Chapter Three - part seven

   James and Sarah didn't discuss what had been said until they were finally alone at the end of the day. Some of the air crews had arrived and James had been busy all day with getting the squadron settled. They had three days to get themselves in order and then they would be expected to be ready to assume the patrols on their turn in the rotation. James and Sarah were very pleased with their house. It was a four bedroom, though they didn't really need more than three. They unpacked what little they had and started setting things up that night. While they worked they talked about what had been said in the general's office that day. Sarah was concerned. She had expected this to be a low danger, easy going duty. Instead it seemed that they would both be stepping into the fire. True it would be very different kinds of fires for each of them, but they could both still get burned. James had told her that he believed their missions here were tied together. If China was planning a move in Korea, then America had to expand its presence in the area. The only viable option if Korea was unwilling to expand was to expand bases in Japan. His job was to keep Korea in the game and her job was to strengthen resources in Japan.

   The next day during a closed door meeting, James took the opportunity to talk with all of the pilots in the squadron about the 'new' mission parameters. Brig. General Johns was there with him and she spoke first. She carefully explained the new mission they would be tasked with. She had maps of the entire area and the proposed flight plans they would be taking. She had also discussed some of the newest intelligence they had about what was going on inside North and South Korea. She had also made it very clear that this was all to be kept inside the walls of the briefing room. Nobody outside the people flying the missions and the people in charge of planning those missions was to be told about any of this. James had followed her with a short and very direct talk of his own. Stepping up to the podium he spoke very briefly before dismissing the pilots with a very short statement. "Alright, now you know why we are really here. This isn't going to be the simple mission we were expecting. It could very rapidly become a very big mess. I want each of you to keep in mind that we will almost be like a red flag flying out there. I tell you now that alone will make the sleeping dragon, Red China, stir. Our mission is to keep the dragon from advancing, without making it angry." That brought a few chuckles. James didn't smile as he continued. "Laugh while you can folks, but if that dragon decides to fight... the world will be screaming, crying, and maybe dying for a long, long time! Think about that until we begin this mission! And don't ever forget it once we are actually flying around that sleeping dragon, Dismissed!" James had turned and left the room with Brig. General Johns. They were intentionally leaving the pilots to talk among themselves about the dragon they would soon be facing.

   The scheduled patrols rolled around and James began to fly the new extended patrols. The first few went without incident, but after a few days of those, that stopped. North Korea was the first to start objecting that the patrols were encroaching on their territory, which they weren't. Soon China chimed in and began complaining that the planes were getting too close to their naval vessels. James continued to fly as ordered. All of this was minor compared to what was happening inside Korea. The South had insisted that American troops be withdrawn from the DMZ and it was starting to happen. Granted it was slow and under strong American objections, but it was going to eventually be completed. That area soon became a pressure point and James soon found himself involved. More than once he had to encourage North Korean jets to back away from the DMZ. That wasn't easy to do, especially not when the South had complained very strongly about his actions. They said it was because he had entered their airspace in order to make the North back away without permission. While they had an American military presence it seemed that they no longer wanted it to be so visible. James spent more than one long night in meetings trying to soothe ruffled feathers with South Korean and Chinese diplomats.

   After a few weeks things seemed to ease up just a bit, but James was no more fooled than anybody else who was directly involved with the situation. It had suddenly gotten too quiet in the region. The withdrawal of American troops was still going on, but was almost completed. South Korea had relaxed and no longer objected when the 77th did a fly over near the DMZ. North Korea seemed to be willing to let it all go too. Even China was silent, but the dragon was awake and it was moving! The weekly intelligence briefings had now become daily and James didn't like anything about what he was being told. China had actually moved several squadrons of the most advanced fighters they had, the J-33, directly into North Korea. While not capable of the sustained flight times of the F/A-48 and with little stealth capability, they were still a very capable fighter. They were more maneuverable than the F/A-48's and almost as fast as the F/A-48's. In numbers this large they could be a very real threat in the air to an F/A-48. The major advantage now would be in the stealth capability of the F/A-48, but that only worked until the fight actually began. Once engaged and the fighting had started it was very hard to stay hidden regardless of how good a 'ghost' you were.

   As strained and occupied as he was with his new mission and the developing situation where he was, James still made time to keep up with things back home. Things weren't getting better back home either. The changing world seemed to be having a tremendous effect on America. The changes were starting to become much more noticeable. That or James was just paying more attention and noticing things more now. A few years earlier the U.S. government had begun building public housing projects in the major cities across the nation to help house all of the people who were flooding into them in search of jobs and better living conditions. Most of the people in those new 'projects' now survived on government checks and food. The only good thing about them was that many of the able bodied men were working to build more of them. But even that wasn't as good a thing as the news made it out to be. Most of those able bodied men were older men who had lost everything and been forced to move to a project to keep a roof over their families head. However the majority of the men in the projects were young men, just out of school. Many of them had never had a job at all and didn't want to work at a dirty job, like construction. They just sat around and lived on what the government gave them. It was much the same and just as bad with the women in the projects. The older women worked in the small stores and shops that were a part of each project, but the younger women spent their time at the public pools or playgrounds; often with their children. They were often having those children in order to get larger checks from the government.

   There still seemed to be little James could do about changing anything at home. He had decided to concentrate on what he could do where he was instead. God had put James where he was and there was a reason for that. James just had to accept it and let God to use him for whatever purpose He chose. James and Sarah had both been very busy, but they had not forgotten the kids. They had managed to find a private daycare they liked. It was available around the clock in case duty called them away without notice. The woman who ran it was a retired missionary's wife. Sarah's folks had come over with the kids and stayed around for a week or so, just to make sure everything went smoothly. James and Sarah had been glad to get the kids back. The kids seemed to be no worse for all the missed time, but James was convinced they had both more than doubled in size during those few weeks apart. The only problem had happened when they had to leave them at the daycare the first few times, but that passed once they came back to pick them up after only a few hours. Things were slowly settling into a more normal routine for everyone.

   That routine wasn't going to last though. Once all the American troops had been withdrawn from the DMZ things began to escalate again. The Chinese were soon openly having extremely large military exercises all along the northern side of DMZ. In fact their planes often flew over it and occasionally even breached South Korean air space. The regular daily patrols now seemed to be doing very little to discourage any of that. The Chinese seemed to watch and work around the F/A-48's schedules. That was bad enough, but it was what was happening inside South Korea that was really disturbing. A new division was forming in the country. One side was afraid of China. They wanted the U.S. forces to stay and protect them. The second group was afraid of China too, but they wanted the U.S. troops out of South Korea. They blamed the U.S. for the growing Chinese threat. That second group was slowly growing stronger. It wasn't just fear of China that was dividing the people either. It was fear of their future as a whole. Things seemed to be growing harder for most people worldwide. But in the places where there was the added pressure of military threats it was far worse. South Korea wasn't directly involved in any military actions, but military action was a huge and looming threat with China right on their border now. North Korea still had a government, but few people in South Korea really believed that China wasn't actually the government that was in control now. James had finally been asked to turn the daily patrols into around the clock patrols after the Chinese Air Force began flying into South Korean air space almost daily.

Chapter Three - part six

   James had lowered his head and began to shake it slowly as she was talking. When she stopped he took a deep breath and looked up. She was watching him and only him. James slowly let out his breath and then nodded before he spoke a single word question, "And?" That was all he said. Now he watched her as he waited for the answer he knew would come. She began to smile. "And... I need you to be both a warrior and a diplomat. I understand that you have studied Chinese?" James laughed softly and he nodded. She continued. "I will be sending you out on the normal missions which you came here for, to patrol the Sea of Japan. However, your missions will now be greatly extended... to cover the East China Sea! You will be charged with patrolling the Sea of Japan, but your point of focus will be the area surrounding and even directly over South Korea. The stealth ability and added firepower of a squadron of F/A-48's should be a big deterrent. I still fully expect you to need all the diplomacy you can muster to pull this off, because stealth or not you will be noticed. In fact you must be noticed for this to work. I firmly believe that you are the right man for this job. The only question in my mind is what you think. Do you think you are the right man? Can you do this job and discourage the Chinese from looking at South Korea for me?"

   James took a deep breath and slowly stood up. He actually paced across the room a few times before he returned to stand behind Sarah. With his hands resting on the back of her chair he slowly began to speak. "General, I must admit that in the back of my mind I was wondering why the 77th had been sent here and why I had been given command. Now that I do know, I am not happy about it. That said, I do think I understand why you asked for me instead of Colonel Wilson. Can I do what you ask? Honestly, that will depend on what you actually expect and what the Chinese actually intend to do. I am a warrior, as are all of the men and women of the 77th. We can and we will fight to defend ourselves and our allies against any and all threats, but I cannot promise what the outcome of a fight will be. As for the added diplomatic part of this, that will also depend on the Chinese and I suppose on the Koreans as well. You ask for answers that I can't give you. I will do my duty to the best of my ability. Beyond that ability I have only my faith." He paused for a long moment and then with a firm nod, answered her question. "Yes Ma'am, I can and will do the job. I won't promise to get the results that you may have in mind, but I can do the job you have asked me to do. I can try to discourage further pushes from China in South Korea."

   Brig. General Samantha Johns smiled, but didn't move. After a moment she looked at Sarah and spoke. "Tell me, is he always like this? Does he just speak his mind and stand there daring anyone to say different?" Sarah laughed and James frowned. Sarah stood up and moved to stand beside her husband. Then she spoke for the first time since first coming into the room. "Not always, but when he does speak like this... people listen! You have asked him if he can be both a warrior and diplomat. The answer is yes he can... but?  That but depends on many things. He will be diplomatic when he can be, but when diplomacy fails he will always be the warrior he must be.  You know his call sign is Ironman and you know how he earned that his first year at the Academy. What you and many others don't know or understand is that he truly is man of iron. He has a will of iron and faith of iron. He may bend, but he won't break. If you wanted a diplomat first you may be in trouble, but if you wanted a warrior first and diplomat second then he is the man you need." Brig. General Samantha Johns nodded her head and stood up. Then she simply dismissed them both.  There would be another time to discuss other things that had to be worked out when any new squadron arrived, for now she just wanted time to think. They also needed to do the same. But she was convinced that she had made the right choice. Very few men impressed her. Almost nobody did during the first meeting. However Lt. Colonel James Andrew Cooper had done exactly that.

Chapter Three - part five

  They arrived at Kadena AFB Okinawa, Japan with little fanfare. There was already a squadron of F/A-48's there, the Fighting Cocks of the 67th squadron. James and the Gambler's Ghosts of the 77th were arriving to replace the Vampires of the 44th squadron. That squadron was in the process of refitting and retraining to fly the next squadron of F/A-48's. They would be returning, but it would be many months before they did. That seemed to be the biggest problem with the new F/A-48's, getting a pilot familiar with them. They simply weren't the same kind of jet to fly as the older ones. They required the pilot to do far more and be far more aware of not only the battle, but the plane. The very things that had made them a game changer had also made them a real pain for a seasoned pilot to learn to fly. In fact a lot of the most experienced pilots weren't willing to make that transition. The pilots of the 44th would all get a chance, but many would have to be replaced and that took even more time.

   James first duty, once on the ground, was to report to his new commanding officer, Brig. General Samantha Johns. Sarah had been asked to report with James, since she would be assuming a key part in the ongoing negotiations about the expansion. Samantha Johns was a red headed, green-eyed, fireball, according to Colonel Sam Wilson. He had flown with her as a young pilot. He had warned James that she had a temper, but that she wasn't likely to lose it. If she did, you had only two choices, duck and cover, or stand and fight. She didn't accept excuses or apologies at all and if she lost her temper she took heads first and asked questions later. She was an excellent judge of people and had been an outstanding pilot. She was a better manager though, than she was a fighter pilot. In Wilson's opinion her one flaw was that she was too quick to act in the heat of battle. That had James very concerned. Sam Wilson was well known as a risk taker. He acted suddenly and often with little apparent consideration of the consequences of his actions. If he thought she was too quick on the trigger that was a real reason for worry to James.

  When James walked into her office he was surprised at how young she looked. He would have guessed her to be close to his age, but she was years older than him. She was also a stunningly beautiful woman. Sarah had told him that she was, but James had to admit that he still wasn't prepared for her. He snapped a quick salute and remained at attention. Brig. General Johns slowly stood up and walked around her desk to look him over without ever speaking. Sarah had been asked to remain outside, which had been a surprise to both of them. Samantha Johns walked all the way around James before speaking when she was standing directly in front of him again. Once more her words were a shock to James when she did speak. "So, you are the Ironman? Well, I have to say you certainly look the part. You are tall, confident, and good looking. Typical for a fighter pilot, but I sense something else in you too. At ease Cooper. Have a seat and let's talk for a bit." Then she turned and moved back to her desk chair. James took a seat and waited. He was no longer sure of what to expect from his new commander. She just sat smiling slightly and watched him for a long moment before she started to talk again. She seemed totally relaxed and at ease, which was nothing close to how James was feeling.

   "I see that you have very good control of yourself. Most Lt. Colonels would have shown at least a little bit of irritation at the way I greeted you, but you have shown no sign that it bothers you. I know that you are puzzled, but I saw no sign of anger or fear in you. That is a good thing. You see, Lt. Colonel Cooper, I asked for you specifically to be sent here. They were planning on sending Colonel Wilson, since we had worked together and were familiar with each other. I asked for you instead. Command wasn't happy about that, but I convinced them. They thought you were better suited for the spot Sam is now filling. It seems you have earned a reputation for handling tough situations in that region of the world. Well, I need someone who can handle tough situations too. Sam Wilson is a very good pilot, but he has one flaw. He rushes in where angels fear to go." Then she smiled and laughed. "I don't need anyone to help me with that. I have been known to make the devil himself hesitate to follow me. I needed a man who doesn't rush in where angels fear to go, but also one who wasn't afraid to walk into the lion's den if that was where he needed to go. I think you are that man. I am told you have walked with lions before."

   James was now even more troubled. Something was clearly up here, something that he had no clue about. He watched and waited. Once more she just laughed as she watched him. She reached over and paged for Sarah to join them. When Sarah arrived she greeted her and asked her to take a seat. Then Samantha Johns leaned back and studied the pair of them for a long time. Finally she leaned forward again and spoke. "Lt. Colonel James Andrew Cooper, currently the only confirmed ace flying for us, recipient of the Air Force Cross, the Silver Star, the Purple Heart and the Distinguished Service Medal. You have continuously distinguished yourself during your service and I think you will continue to do so." She turned her attention to Susan next. "Major Sarah Marie Cooper his wife, you also have confirmed kills to your record and are a recipient of the Distinguished Flying Cross in the same action where your husband won his Air Force Cross. While not quite as distinguished as his, your record is worthy of notice and you certainly have a distinguished family to go along with that record.  I have asked you both here today, so that I can explain why you are really here. I suspect that you were led to believe that it was so you could help with the negotiations, Major. That is only a part of it though. In fact, it is the secondary reason. You have once again come in second to your husband. It was him that I wanted and needed here! I do need you here too and I am thrilled to have you, but he is really the reason you are both here."

   She paused to let what she had just said sink in and then continued. "What neither one of you knew, and in fact what very few people do know, is that we are facing what could be a major shift in the balance of power in this immediate region. As you know China has been putting pressure on Japan for a long while now. That has been more of a bluff than real for now though. The world news and many world leaders have bought into that bluff, but the real threat is not to Japan at all, at least not directly. The real issue is in Korea. China had been willing to just remain on the side and watch for decades, but that has changed. They have already moved to take control of North Korea. The world news and most world leaders still see and hear a North Korean dictator. They see little change in North Korea. But our intelligence has recently become aware of major changes and they have become very troubling. China now effectively runs North Korea! They have recently even placed some of their generals in command of the military and are now in the process of replacing much of the military hardware that North Korea had with newer Chinese equipment. That alone is very troubling, but I fear it is just the beginning. I assume you are aware that we haven't yet upgraded to F/A-48's in South Korea?"

      James nodded as his mind began to redirect his thoughts. He suddenly heard Brig. General Johns chuckling as she watched them. That made him grin in spite of his best efforts. She nodded her head at them both and started to speak again. "I see that you both have quick minds. Yes, I and others are deeply concerned that China may have plans for South Korea next. You see we have tried to upgrade, but South Korea has been reluctant to let us do it. They say it would be seen as a provocation in the North. I think they were really looking at China though. In fact, I am almost certain of it now. You see South Korea has asked us to begin withdrawing our troops from along the DMZ. They want to replace them with only South Korean troops. They haven't asked us to leave South Korea completely, not yet, but the withdrawal from doing the very thing we have remained there all these years to do, may be the first step in that direction. I have been tasked with discouraging the Chinese from pushing further. I asked for you James, because you seem to have a talent for diplomacy, as well as being a true warrior." 

Chapter Three - part four

   James went home and spent the remainder of the day with his family. They were staying until Sunday after services. James had to be back from leave Monday morning and Sarah wanted to get back too. Sarah didn't know what had happened today, but she was glad it had happened. James had come back and walked into the house like a new man. She had looked into his eyes and the fear was gone. She had asked him what had happened and he had just laughed. Then he had kissed her and whispered softly. "God, God happened to me Sarah." He had said no more and she had asked no more. She didn't need to know more. That was enough for her. Late that night alone in bed he had told her about it. She had listened and she understood the sudden change in him. She had understood, because she had felt the fear leaving her as they had talked. She slept soundly for the first time that week. She finally felt safe and secure again in the arms of her fearless warrior, her Ironman. She felt safe because she knew God was with them.

   They returned to base and James returned to duty. Sarah stayed on leave for another month. Joseph Paul was six weeks old when she returned to duty. He was barely four months old when they got a big surprise. Sarah was expecting again! Once the shock wore off they were both thrilled. That soon changed though. James was being sent to New Mexico to actually begin testing the modifications that he had helped design for the pulse cannons. He would be there at least six months, possibly longer. Sarah couldn't or wouldn't be going due to the upcoming birth of their next child. James wanted her to stay close to home and with doctors she was familiar with. He would try to get leave around her due date and hope for the best. That was all they could do. It was still duty before family in the military.

      It seemed that God was still blessing them though, because James was home on leave when his baby girl was born. Marie Elisabeth Cooper was her mother's daughter. She looked exactly like Sarah. She even had her smile. Once more it seemed that God's timing was perfect. The 77th squadron was about to be deployed again. This time they were heading to Japan. Sarah should be recovered and ready to return to duty by then. The only problem was the children. James and Sarah had discussed the possibility of being deployed with small children. They didn't like the idea of leaving them behind, but they didn't like the idea of taking them overseas much better. The one good thing was that Japan wasn't quite as bad as most places where they might have been deployed. Japan had a lot of unrest and occasional riots. Even in Japan things weren't going great. Still there was little real violence and the base itself was among the best America had overseas. They did some checking and found that it should be possible for them to take the children with them. They began making plans and once more trusted in the Lord to make it all work according to His greater plan for them. The time to go arrived and after some difficult goodbyes they headed to their new home.

   James was still very troubled about what was going on in America. However, James now believed that would eventually be dealt with by God. James couldn't have explained how or why he had come to believe that, he just had. James was excited about his life again. He might not be able to change the whole world, but he could have a huge effect on the world around him. Ever since that day he had seen Pastor David about things he had been a different man again. James now realized that he too had changed during all of those years away. He had lost his focus and lost the purpose for his life when he had come home to America. While he had been at the Academy, in training, and even deployed he had kept his eyes on the Lord. He hadn't lost his focus or his purpose. He had been faithful and he had trusted in God no matter what had been happening in his life. That trust and faith had sustained him and carried him during some very difficult times. He never forgot that he lived to serve both God and country. That faith was what had made him succeed and had helped get him safely back home.

   Then he and Sarah had been brought back together again. They had begun trying to regain what had been lost to them during all the long months they had been separated. Life had been good again. Their problems had become minor and easily dealt with. They had relaxed and made the most of the chance to just live life to its fullest while they had it. That had been good, but it had also been bad. James had become too involved with his life as a pilot and a husband. He had forgotten what mattered most, he had forgotten God. Oh, he hadn't totally forgotten about God. He and Sarah had attended services regularly. He had read his Bible daily and prayed even more often. That was all good, but it hadn't been enough. James had just about stopped listening for God's answers. Almost as bad, he had forgotten to just talk with God. Prayer was good, but talking had always been how James found out for certain not only what was right, but also what was wrong in his life. He had forgotten to talk with God. Since James wasn't talking anymore he hadn't heard God talking to him very well either. James had been too busy with the world to stay close to God. James had lost sight of God and lost his way, but God hadn't lost James.

   James had stayed very busy since that talk with Pastor David, but he hadn't forgotten to watch and to listen this time. James had seen the changes that had happened and the ones that were still happening back in America. He knew that his nation was heading for trouble far beyond anything that it had now. Even so he also saw that for now, there appeared to be little that he alone could do about that. He had spent every free minute trying to learn about what had happened, what was still happening, and why it was. He had learned that the people of his nation had, for lack of a better term, lost focus. They were much like he had been. They were just too busy living their lives to worry about anything or anyone else. If it didn't directly affect them, then it wasn't worth their time or the trouble it would cause them. Unless and until that was changed, James saw very little that anybody could do to change the path America was on. James wasn't sure who or what was driving the country, but he knew the country was headed for a disaster. Most of the people just weren't watching and they weren't listening to those who were watching. It had been that way for a long time and James was afraid they just didn't understand that sooner or later they would run out of road and go over the edge of the cliff.

   James didn't know what God had in mind, but he knew that God was aware of everything. Sooner or later something would happen, maybe something good, but maybe something bad too. That wouldn't matter as much as what happened afterwards. That was when James knew America would have to make a choice. The same kind of choice that James had made so often, who would they follow? They could turn back to God and let Him correct everything that they had screwed up. Or they could turn away from God and let Him correct the people who had screwed it all up. Either way God would eventually deal with the problems that were building up inside America. James had no doubt of that and he had no fear of it either. James just had faith that as long as a few good people remained... there was still hope for his nation. But right now James was going half way around the world again. If God intended for James to be involved in correcting the problems back home, then it wasn't time yet. James just had to deal with what God put before him today and let God deal with what the future might eventually become.

   He and Sarah were both flying together now. James had done enough with his improvements to the pulse cannons to earn another step up. He had been promoted out of order again and was now a Lt. Colonel. He was also now the squadron commander of the 77th. He wasn't the only one who had been moved up faster than normal. Lt. Colonel Sam Wilson had become Colonel Sam Wilson and been given command of a newly supplied squadron of F/A-48's. That squadron was headed back to the Middle East. Brigadier General Hancock, who was now the commanding officer back at home base, hadn't been thrilled with James being given command of the 77th. He hadn't been willing to object too much since James was the son-in-law of one of the most powerful and well liked Senators in the nation. He had warned James that any show of favoritism towards Sarah would be dealt with severely though. James wasn't worried about that, he was worried about Sarah. She had been more concerned than Hancock about appearances with her flying not only in the same squadron as James, but under his direct command as well.

   James didn't expect a lot of problems with that though. One of the main reasons the 77th was heading to Japan was so that Sarah could assist with negotiations about the air base. Japan needed us there with China looming larger over them every day, but they didn't like us being there. The people who could have remembered the A-bombs being dropped on Japan were long dead, but the memory wasn't dead. The young people didn't want the American military around to remind them of it either. Senator Davis had been spending a lot of time and political capital to make an expansion of the air base happen. James thought that he was the one behind this entire move. Her father apparently thought that Major Sarah Cooper could accomplish what he hadn't been able to. He thought Sarah could get the final expansion approved by the Japanese parliament if anyone could. James figured that Sarah would be hard pressed to get in her required flight time until that expansion was given a go.

   The biggest thing James had to do was fly routine missions over what was currently considered neutral islands between Japan and China. Some islands had Japanese on them, some had Chinese on them, and a few had both. The problem was that while they had no real value, they had become political game pieces. Neither of the nations could legitimately claim them all and yet neither was willing to abandon their interest in all of them.  The people living on those tiny islands were basically poor fishermen who had moved all they had to the tiny islands in an effort to just survive. They could raise small gardens and catch fish. Sometimes they could even catch enough to sell for a tiny profit, but mostly they just wanted to live and be left alone. They cared nothing for politics or territory. However, China and Japan both routinely had Navy ships patrolling among those islands. James would be there to discourage both from doing something that might make matters far worse for everyone involved.

   James and Sarah had made arrangements for the kids to stay on the farm with his folks until they could get a place suitable for them to all live in. Then her folks would bring the kids over to them. James was already missing the kids and he knew it would be worse for Sarah, but sacrifices had to be made. James doubted that the kids were going to miss dad and mom much anyway. Not when they had Granny and Grandpa available around the clock, to say nothing of a farm full of animals and adventures. Still he would be glad when they found a suitable place to live. That wasn't the only reason why they had left the kids behind though. They had wanted time to locate someone to watch the kids when they were both on duty. James had no intention of juggling schedules to make sure he or Sarah could be available to watch the kids. He had to find someone he could trust with the most precious thing he had in his life.