Erich had barely finished his cigarette when the radio on his hip crackled.
"Falke-Actual, this is Mindanao Command. Do you copy?"
He unclipped the handset, already annoyed.
"Mindanao Command, this is Falke-Actual. Go ahead."
There was the faint hiss of encrypted relay bouncing up to the sky and back down again.
"ISR package complete," the voice said. "Orbital and aerial reconnaissance confirm your preliminary assessment. Repeat: American regular forces have fully evacuated Mindanao. Remaining hostile elements are identified as Cuban expeditionary battalions, Filipino loyalist militias, and irregular village partisans. No significant U.S. combat formations remain on the island."
Erich closed his eyes for a beat.
Of course.
"Copy," he said flatly. "How long have you had that confirmation?"
A pause.
"Initial movement indicators were flagged thirty-six hours ago. Full pattern confirmation… approximately eight hours."
Erich's jaw clenched.
