by Eric Vall
“And if we’re seen, then they’ll alert the home base,” Anna said with a sigh and a nod.
“Right,” I agreed.
“Well, shit,” Tara said.
I listened for a minute as the rain poured down on the glass windows, and the sound of thunder filled the air.
“Is that thunder?” Bailey asked, and she cocked her head to listen.
Just then, through the front door, I saw a lightning strike come down and scatter off around the woods.
“The storm is close,” Paige said.
“Well, no shit,” Tara said, and she gestured outside.
“No,” the brunette laughed. “I mean the lightning is close.”
“She’s right,” I said.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if the hillbillies were getting a good downpour as well,” Anna said.
“They might be,” I agreed. “But I think they’re crazy enough to send people out in a storm, don’t you?”
“Yeah,” Bailey said, and she pursed her lips. “You’re probably right. It’s creepy to think there might be someone standing in the woods by us right now.”
“We have to expect that there are,” I said with a hard nod. “But there won’t be for long.”
“So what do we do, Boss?” Rolly asked.
“I have a plan,” I said. “But I don’t think you’ll like it.”
“Why?” Anna looked at me skeptically.
“It’s you going out alone, isn’t it?” Tara asked, and I could tell she was irritated with the thought of it.
“It is,” I admitted.
“No,” Paige scoffed. “It’s too dangerous.”
I said nothing, I simply raised an eyebrow at the brunette.
“Alright,” she said. “I know, you’re used to dangerous situations, but we don’t want anything to happen to you.”
“I’ll be fine,” I assured her.
“I don’t like it,” Rolly said with a frown. “But if you think it’s best, then I trust you.”
“I do,” I said.
“But why?” Bailey asked. “Why can’t we go as a team?”
“We can do part of it as a team,” I said. “I’m only talking about going out alone to take out the scouts.”
“Okay,” Anna said, and she pursed her lips. “So where does the team part come in?”
“I’ll come back and get you once all the scouts are dead,” I told her. “Then we’ll make our way up to the hillbilly hideout. Without their scouts warning them that we are coming, they won’t be as prepared.”
“I guess that’s reasonable,” the redhead said.
“I’m glad I have your permission,” I chuckled.
“Not to be a dick,” Tara said. “But we would need your permission.”
“Yes,” I said. “But I taught you all, so I’m the master and apprentices don’t get to tell the masters what to do. The master will die protecting their apprentice.”
“You are the master,” Paige chuckled. “But I think apprentices should have a say when it comes to someone they love.”
“We just don’t want you to get hurt,” Bailey said with a soft voice. “And we’ve gotten used to doing things as a team.”
“I know,” I said with a smile. “And we still are a team, but part of being a team is doing your job. And right now, this is my job.”
“Alright,” Rolly said, and he grinned at me. “So after you take out the scouts and come get the girls, then what?”
I smiled at Rolly, he knew he wasn’t coming on this mission, but he still was attempting to keep the peace and diffuse the girls’ anxiety about me going out alone. I appreciated the hell out of the man.
“Well,” I started. “After the scouts are gone, that will leave only whoever is at their little compound.”
“What’s our plan of attack?” Anna asked.
“I say we each have a target,” Tara said. “I want the skinny blonde boy.”
“Jesus,” Bailey whispered, and she looked at the platinum blonde with wide eyes.
“What?” Tara asked defensively, but then she laughed. “Okay, I guess that was a little fucked up.”
“Yeah,” Anna chuckled. “You had him lined up and everything.”
“Something about him just makes me want to punch him,” the platinum blonde said, and she held up her small fist.
“We could each have a target,” I said.
“Really?” Anna asked with a raised brow.
“Why not?” I said with a shrug. “It will give everyone someone to eliminate, and anybody else is up for grabs.”
“Okay,” Anna said. “But we kill anybody between us and our target.”
“Of course,” I said. “Once the scouts are dead, and we only have the people at the camp to worry about, it should be a simple in and out. You girls have done this before, I trust you to keep your wits about you.”
“Sweet,” Tara said.
“I’ll take the dad,” I said. “He seems to be in charge, and if I can eliminate him, then they’ll probably be quite disorganized.”
“Good idea,” Anna said. “I want the tattooed guy. He seems like a challenge.”
“I’ll take the mom,” Bailey said.
“I guess that leaves the sister for me,” Paige said.
“Okay.” I smiled at my bloodthirsty group of beautiful lovers. “So we all have a target, now what else do we need for an efficient plan?”
“Well, we need to consider all the possibilities,” Paige said, and she pursed her lips.
“Yeah,” Anna agreed. “Like what if they’re not all outside the house?”
“Exactly,” I told the redhead with a smile. “We lure them out.”
“How are we going to do that?” Bailey asked with a frown.
“Didn’t you say they have a junkyard?” Rolly asked.
“Yeah,” Anna answered.
“You could light a car on fire,” the old man suggested with a shrug. “That’d get my attention.”
“Good idea,” I said.
“Sounds like we have our plan,” Anna said, and she smiled at me. “But when do we do it?”
“Tomorrow,” I said in a sure tone.
“Okay,” Paige said, but she bit her bottom lip.
“Briar is still there, guys,” Bailey said softly. “We need to get him out as soon as possible.”
“Right,” I told the pretty blonde hippie. “And everybody needs to be careful when eliminating their target, we don’t want Briar to get caught in the crossfire.”
“Hopefully they’ll all run to put out the car we set on fire,” Paige said.
“Yes,” I said. “But in case they don’t, be careful not to hurt Briar. He’s been through enough.”
“I like this plan,” Tara said.
“I thought you might,” I told her with a smile.
“It gives me the willies thinking about how much they knew about us though,” Paige said, and she shivered a bit.
“Yeah.” Bailey frowned. “It’s creepy to think we’ve just been being watched for who knows how long.”
“It is strange,” Rolly said. “But those people aren’t right, which makes them capable of extreme danger. They slipped through the cracks this time, but that won’t happen again.”
“No,” I said, and I smiled at the old man. “It won’t.”
“Tav,” Paige said, and I turned to look at the pretty brunette.
“Yes?” I asked. “Did you have a question?”
“Uh, no,” she said, and she looked a bit uncomfortable. “I just noticed you never changed is all.”
“Oh,” I said, and I looked down at my damp clothes. “I’ll go do that now.”
“I’ll start dinner,” Tara said excitedly. “I’ve never cooked in a wood stove before.”
“Let me help you,” Rolly said, and he stood up with a smile.
“Thanks,” the platinum blonde said. “I would like that.”
The two of them headed to the laundry room that was now the wood stove room while I
headed upstairs to change.
It didn’t take me long. I threw on a pair of sweatpants and an old T-shirt, then I made my way back downstairs to find Anna, Bailey, and Paige still huddled on the couch with Winchester by their feet, except now Anna passed around a pint of vodka.
“Are you all drinking that straight?” I asked as I took a seat.
“I’m normally a mixed drink girl,” Paige said. “But this is surprisingly good.”
She handed me the bottle, and I inspected the label, it was vanilla cupcake flavored vodka.
“What the hell?” I chuckled.
“It’s not bad,” Bailey said happily. “Give it a try.”
“I’d prefer some bourbon,” I said, and I wrinkled my nose at the bottle.
“We all know you’re a big strong bourbon drinking man,” Anna chuckled. “But it’s good.”
“Alright,” I laughed. “I’ll give it a try.”
I put the bottle to my lips and took a small swig of the clear liquid. The girls were right, it was quite good. The vodka itself was smooth as it went down my throat, and though it did put a small fire in my belly, the flavor of the vanilla and cake was a sweet lingering on my tongue that made me want more.
“It’s good, right?” Paige said excitedly.
“It is,” I said. “Delicious actually.”
“We told you,” Bailey teased.
“Hey,” Tara called from the laundry room. “Are you all drinking out there?”
“Yes,” Bailey called back. “Would you like a cup?”
“Oh, no,” the platinum blonde called out. “I was just wondering.”
“Did she really just say that?” Anna whispered, and her eyes grew wide.
“I’m fucking with you, bitches,” Tara called back with a laugh. “Bring me a damn drink please, and one for Rolly too.”
“I’d appreciate one,” the old man called out, and I heard Tara whispering to him about not being so nice since they didn’t even offer them drinks to begin with.
I chuckled at the platinum blonde and poured us all some cups of the flavored vodka, then I brought Tara and Rolly their cups in the laundry room.
“Thanks,” the platinum blonde said as I handed her the small glass.
“Yes, thank you,” Rolly said.
“No problem,” I said, and I smiled back at the old man. “So what’s for dinner?”
“Shepherds pie,” Tara said, and she grinned up at me from her place on the floor.
The room was hot and pleasant with a slight humidity to it, and I realized then that Rolly had put a pot of water on the stove.
“If you don’t put water up there, it’ll dry your nose out,” the old man said after he saw me looking at it.
“Good call,” I told him.
“I think the last thing we need around here are bloody noses,” Rolly chuckled.
“Okay,” Tara said after she slid a pot in the stove. “It’s in the oven.”
“Thanks for cooking,” I told the platinum blonde with a smile. “How long will it take?”
“It’ll be about forty-five minutes, I think,” she said, and she stood up and took a drink of her vodka. “Holy shit, that’s good.”
“You’ll never guess who picked it out,” I said with a raised brow.
“Anna?” she asked with wide eyes, and I nodded. “Damn, she’s getting better at this.”
“You must be rubbing off on her,” I chuckled.
“My baby’s growing up,” Tara sniffled in mock sentiment.
“Would you play for us?” I asked with a soft smile as we reentered the living room area.
“Oh, yeah,” Bailey said with hopeful eyes, and she sat forward on the couch. “Please, Tara.”
“Alright,” the platinum blonde said.
Just then the thunder sounded once more, and it was followed by another lightning strike.
“If you can hear me over the storm,” Tara chuckled.
“I’ll accompany you,” Paige said happily.
“Dinner and a show,” Rolly said. “Goes good with the storm outside.”
“Any requests?” Tara asked as she sat down at the piano.
“Christmas songs,” Bailey squealed, and I was surprised by her excitement.
“Christmas songs?” Tara asked with distaste. “It’s not even Thanksgiving yet.”
“Oh, come on,” Paige said to Tara, then she smiled at Bailey. “What’s your favorite?”
“Silent night,” Bailey said.
“Doesn’t seem very fitting,” Tara said, and the thunder sounded once more. “But let’s do it.”
Tara began to play the familiar song on the piano, and Paige came in with her lovely falsetto to accompany her. I watched Bailey’s face as they played and smiled as the blonde hippie closed her eyes and leaned back into the couch.
“Bailey,” Paige said during a small musical break. “Come sing with me.”
“Oh, no,” Bailey said, and she waved her hand at the brunette. “I couldn’t.”
“Come on,” Paige said, and she pulled the blonde up from the couch. “No need to be embarrassed.”
“But I can’t sing,” Bailey protested.
“Well, you better figure it out,” Tara chuckled. “This break is almost over.”
Paige came in once more, but Bailey stood with stagefright behind the piano until Paige elbowed her, then she smiled and started to sing as well. Bailey’s voice was more of an alto, but she harmonized perfectly with Paige’s higher voice and the result was a lovely rendition of an old song. Hearing it reminded me of being in Church when I was little with my mom, and I smiled to myself as I watched the girls sing with each other. I didn’t remember much about being little, but I did remember my mom singing next to me in church, and the sight of the girls brought those memories back for me.
It was a strange night knowing that tomorrow we would be attacking the hillbillies, but it was still early, and dinner was in the stove, so I tried to relax for a minute. That was a difficult thing to do when in the back of my mind I knew somebody was probably watching us right at that very moment, but we had our plan, and we were going to stick to it.
As I looked around at Rolly, Winchester, and my girls, I was reminded once more what I was fighting for, what I would always fight for. The hillbillies’ plan to steal one of my women would be the last plan they ever had, that I would make sure of. I couldn’t wait to get out in the field in the morning and do what I did best: take out assholes.
The girls finished the song, and we all clapped as they took a bow.
“That was excellent,” Rolly said.
“Yeah,” Anna agreed. “Bailey, I thought you said you couldn’t sing?”
“I can’t,” the blonde said, and she bit her lip and looked down.
“You were fantastic,” I said.
“You did well,” Tara said.
“Whoa there Tara,” Paige joked. “Don’t praise her too much.”
“She did good,” Tara scoffed, then she winked at Bailey. “We’ll practice later.”
I saw Anna roll her eyes, and I chuckled at the girls’ bickering.
Those asshole hillbillies had pissed off the wrong guy, and in the morning I was coming for them. They wouldn’t take these small moments of happiness away from me.
Chapter 11
I had barely slept that night, knowing that we may have been watched the whole time, but the storm had helped some. I always did sleep better during a storm. It was just before dawn when I woke and started to gear up. I wanted to be out in the woods before first light, so I needed to be quick.
“Is it time?” Anna asked, and she shot up out of bed.
“It’s time for me to go,” I said as I finished putting my cargo pants on.
“Girls,” Anna said, and she shook the others. “It’s time.”
“I was going to let you sleep a minute more,” I told the redhead.
“No way,” she said. “We’re a team and we may not be going with you right now, but we’re going to do
our part and play like everything is normal here.”
“I appreciate the initiative,” I said and then I headed to my old dorm room to suit up.
I grabbed my kevlar, a 9mm handgun and spare magazines, a bowie knife, a tanto blade, and my trusty karambit. I was hoping to not use the 9mm as it would be loud, and it could potentially tip off other scouts in the area, but I strapped it under my arm in case I needed it, and attached my knives to my belt.
I had on black cargo pants, and I opted for a long sleeve black athletic shirt under my vest, along with my hiking boots, and a black beanie I had snagged on one of our trips awhile back.
I stepped out of the dorm room into the common area where the girls were up getting ready for the day.
“Whoa,” Tara said, and she eyed me up and down.
“What?” I asked, and I looked down at myself to see if my fly was unzipped.
“You look, like, sexy as hell right now,” the platinum blonde said with a grin.
“It’s true,” Anna said, and she licked her lips as she eyed me as well.
“Girls,” I tsked. “Stop eyefucking me. We have work to do.”
“You’re right,” Tara said with a wink. “Why eyefuck you when I can just real-fuck you later?”
“Exactly.” I grinned and then I turned to the rest of the girls. “Are you all ready for today?”
“Yes,” Bailey said with a nod.
“Ready,” Paige added.
“Good,” I said. “Remember to put your to go bags by the door so when I come back to get you you’re ready to go.”
“We got it,” Anna told me. “I know you want to get out there before it gets light out, so go on, Rambo. Go kick some ass.”
“Thanks,” I told the redhead with a smile. I was happy she was in charge while I was gone, I couldn’t think of a better second in command.
“Be careful,” Bailey said, and she looked at me with soft eyes.
“I will,” I told her with a small smile.
“You heading out?” Rolly asked as he came out of his room.
“Yeah.” I nodded. “Remember, act normal, do your chores, and talk and laugh like normal. Don’t give anybody watching you a reason to be suspicious at all.”
“Give ‘em hell,” the old man said.