Read World War IV: A Broken Union for Free Online

that I’m no longer a prisoner of Ruiz, and we will aid you in your campaign to bring him down.” The offer was too tantalizing. While she may have a few guns and willing rebellious souls, she lacked the necessary resources to remove Ruiz from power. “I have no doubt that my brother will already have word of Ruiz’s deceit, but if he knows I’m alive and already have an army here willing to help, we can accomplish more together.”
    “And what do you get out of this deal? Are you and your brothers looking to take over the entire western hemisphere? I will not trade one dictator for another.”
    “We have no interest in the South Americas other than as a trading partner, which I hope after we help overthrow the current regime, the new leaders will take note of our willing participation for change.”
    Gabriela’s intrigued silence told Jason all he needed to know. While she mulled over the best way to tell her people about the North Americans’ aid, she led him to another tent, where a half dozen men clustered around a table. All of them eyed Jason suspiciously but made way as he followed Gabriela. The parchment they circled was a map. “We have the bodies, but we lack the reinforcements. Without a steady stream of supplies, Ruiz could easily flee and come back with a stronger force. He still has his wealth, and if we’re going to stop him, we need to take that away.” She pointed to two separate spots on the map. “The main port of trade is here in Rio, where I have five thousand men, but Lima and Panama are just as important. We control the ports, we control the money, and we control Ruiz.”
    There was no denying the strategic value of each location. The landscape here was vast, but ninety percent of all commerce activity came from those three ports. Jason gave an approving knock on the table. “You’ve done your homework. But you know you’ll need a navy to hold the port cities.”
    “You help us keep hold of the ports with the use of your navy, and when we’ve routed all of Ruiz’s corrupt officials out of their seats, you’ll have a new trading partner willing to give you priority over the rest of the countries we do business with.”
    Leaving ships behind would be difficult to convince Dean to agree to, especially if the Chinese threatened the west coast. He knew they’d need all the ships at their disposal to dispense the threat. But the future fruits of this labor were too good to pass up. “I’ll have to work out the details with my brother once he arrives, and there is still the matter of actually getting Ruiz out of that palace of his, but you have a deal, Gabriela.”
    “General Ponce,” one of the guards interjected.
    Jason threw up his hands. “General Ponce,” he said apologetically. “Now that we’ve agreed to a mutually beneficial alliance, I would like to see my friend. Please.” The added courtesies helped, as the next stop was a medical tent where dozens of wounded lay on cots and crude beds of leaves and grass.
    All of the occupants inside moaned and cried in pain, mumbling disillusioned nonsense as nurses did their best with the crude equipment at their disposal. The tent reeked of death, but Jason did his best not to let his distaste become noticeable with every gruesome infection, missing limb, or burned body that he passed. Finally, toward the back, he heard the distinct effort of a man trying to convince one of the nurses that he needed help with his belt buckle.
    When Jason walked up to Chris, the charms seemed to be working, as the nurse couldn’t force back a smile as she changed the dressing on his stomach. “I would be careful with this one. He’s better with his mouth than he is with his sword. And he is very good with his sword.”
    Chris smiled. “Now, if that doesn’t entice you, my lady, I don’t know what will.”
    The nurse pulled the bandage tight, and Chris winced from the pressure. She patted him gently on the stomach then left. Chris propped himself