Alvarez looked at the soldiers. They spread out on the tarmac, occupying high ground, setting up machine guns, deploying anti-aircraft missiles. They moved quickly and skillfully, as if training in their own camp.
"Damascus Airport is already controlled by the Big Mao people," Alvarez said. "Their fighter jets are patrolling the skies, and their ships are on standby in the Mediterranean. Did they stop you from landing?"
The major laughed. "They did. A Su-27 led the way in front of us. The pilot said to follow him and keep a distance of five kilometers. We followed. Then—"
He took a folded piece of paper from his pocket and unfolded it. It was a satellite photo. The Mediterranean, the Big Mao Fleet. Two cruisers, three destroyers, and a nuclear submarine. The photo marked three positions with a red pen.
