"Which country's forces will be annihilated next?"
The spokesperson could only repeat, "NATO remains united... investigation ongoing... cannot disclose operational details..."
A tactical victory is evolving into a political tsunami.
In the United States, the dissemination of news lagged behind.
At noon on May 13, "Lottery President" Harold Wilkes first saw the briefing in the White House Situation Room.
He stared at Bertolini's corpse photo for a long time.
"Are the Italians finished?" he asked.
The National Security Advisor nodded, "Intelligence confirms that the establishment has collapsed. The Mexicans have seized control of the battlefield."
"What about the other NATO troops?"
"The British and French are contracting their lines. The Germans remain inactive. The Polish are furious, but they haven't advanced."
Wilkes took off his glasses and rubbed the bridge of his nose.
He looked very tired, aged ten years since his inauguration a month ago.
