Day of Wrath

Saleh dropped back into reality from his abstract mathematical universe. “Two hundred thousand dead, Highness. With perhaps another two or three hundred thousand seriously injured.

Including, of course, the vast majority of America’s top political and military leadership.”

Ibrahim nodded. Perfect.

“The detonation point for this bomb is unusually low in order to achieve maximum damage against the Pentagon, Highness,” the computer specialist commented. “We could achieve even more significant civilian casualties with a higher altitude airburst.

One more along the lines of the others — two thousand feet, for example.”

“No.” Ibrahim shook his head. His first target in Washington was America’s military nerve center. Its total destruction was his top priority. Dead American civilians came second. They were a welcome dividend, however. This was not just a surgical strike.

He wanted to twist the knife as he struck home.

He leaned closer to the screen. “Continue.”

Saleh obeyed.

The monitor cycled through a succession of images — showing nuclear destruction spreading across another nineteen targets spread out across the length and breadth of the United States.

Langley and Fort Meade were vaporized next — taking with them the headquarters of the CIA and the National Security Agency. Then the heart of Fort Bragg — home of the 82nd Airborne Division, the Delta Force, and the J.S.O.C-vanished in the blink of an eye. A fifth bomb destroyed the key areas of Fort Campbell-headquarters of the 101st Air Assault Division and the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment. A sixth destroyed the U.S. Central and Special Operations Commands at Mcdill Air Force Base, near Tampa. A seventh and eighth tore the guts out of the Ranger battalions, mechanized troops, and training units stationed at Georgia’s Fort Stewart and Fort Benning.

More bombs detonated — vaporizing the central areas of the U.S. Marine Corps bases at Camps Pendleton and Lejeune.

Other weapons slammed into the Air Force bases in Delaware, Idaho, New Mexico, Missouri, Texas, and Washington state — eliminating whole wings of C-5, C-141, and C-17 transports, KC-10 and KC-135 tankers, B-1B and B-2 strategic bombers, F-15 and F-16 fighters, and F-117 Stealth fighter bombers.

Four more rained down across the vast naval bases at Norfolk and San Diego — the home ports for a large number of America’s aircraft carriers and amphibious warships. Many of the ships would be at sea, but crucial support facilities and the personnel needed to man them would be wiped off the face of the earth.

When the dazzling images receded, Ibrahim turned slowly toward Saleh.

“So what is your final assessment, Doctor?”

The specialist punched in one last key. His monitor displayed a series of numbers. “At a minimum, I would expect total American military casualties to run close to three hundred thousand dead and critically wounded. Equipment and aircraft losses will run from fifty to seventy percent for each unit we have targeted.”

“And the ‘collateral damage’?” Ibrahim asked, consciously using the sterile, inhuman jargon adopted by the West during its wars against Arab and Muslim nations.

The Egyptian brought up a new set of numbers. “Since so many of these bases are in or near major areas of habitation, I expect civilian casualties to be far higher — millions dead, with as many more seriously injured.

“Naturally, many of those injured by blast or fire will die in the following days,” Saleh continued. “The detonation of even two or three weapons of this magnitude would saturate America’s emergency medical services — especially its burn wards. After twenty bombs go off, a great number of those caught by the flames will simply die untreated.”

Ibrahim breathed out, still staring at the numbers displayed on the screen. His thrust at America’s heart would be even more effective than he’d dared to hope — God be praised.

Every Russianmade nuclear weapon he had purchased at such a dear price was an integral part of the grand design. By striking at U.S. intelligence agencies, he would prevent America from seeing any of its many enemies clearly. By emasculating its commando units and other rapid deployment forces, he would remove its ability to react swiftly to those challenging its parasitic interests — in the Middle East, in the Persian Gulf, in Asia, and all over the world. And by destroying its strategic airlift and amphibious forces, he would cripple America’s power to intervene in strength in crises around the globe.

Ibrahim nodded solemnly. It would take the shocked and dazed survivors years to fully rebuild the elite ground forces and sophisticated aircraft and ships his chosen weapons would destroy in a single, devastating millisecond. And by then, it would be far, far too late.

Other powers, including those loyal to Islam, and in solidarity with the oppressed Palestinian people, would rush to fill the void left as the United States curled inward on its bleeding wounds.