The invasion of America was easy. There were no amphibious landings; no paratroopers fell from the sky. They numbered not in the thousands, but tens of thousands. We worked with them, trusted them, loved them. Behind their serene exteriors beat hearts filled with hatred. The death of every American, young and old, was their goal. We made it easy for them. "'If you strike their cities, their strength will be exhausted and their spirits will break "" -Sun-tzu, "The Art of War" "Ryker nodded to the members of the press standing before him, 'Ladies and gentlemen, over the past forty-eight hours there have been four horrific and evil terrorist attacks conducted against the innocent members of this community and this country. These attacks have resulted in the deaths of one hundred and forty-seven American citizens, and that number will no doubt climb further, though we all hope and pray that it does not. The killers made no distinctions between man, woman or child. They attacked without provocation our homes, a place of worship and those among us who are the most vulnerable," the crime scene photos from the group home still glaringly fresh in his mind. 'I believe these targets were specifically chosen for the severe emotional impact they would wreak on us as a nation. The attacks were meant to rattle our state of mind and destroy faith in our way of life. We, as a people, must unite and refuse to allow that to happen.""