Fosters: Blackhawk

by L. Ann Marie

  Cloud

  I run out the door feeling torn, I want to stay with CJ but I need to keep them safe. Running across the street I nod to Chris' and a different crew as I pass by and jump on my bike. I get to the gate and have to wait for it to open. I'm relieved to see two guards. I throw chin and lay it out going seventy through town.

  Pulling in the lot a Brother takes my bike and I run through the building to Surveillance. Pres is talking and watching the boards behind Digs' station. Geek is at Sticks station. Walking to him he turns. "Thank Fuck! We need eyes in the fuckin city."

  Pres turns to me. "Get to Baxter's they have a chopper waiting for you." I turn around and run back out. My bike and a helmet are waiting. I throw chin and ride through the reservation to the Baxter's. Beau picks me up and has the gate opened so I can ride through. He tells me to get to the hangar, Steady did my preflight checks. Thank Fuck. Running to the Security chopper I nod to some of the International Team. Holy Fuck we’re loaded for a fight.

  Putting my cans on I hear that we're cleared for go. I'm over the city in minutes. Geek is on guiding me to Steve and Danny. "Permission to engage?" I ask Beau.

  "Blackhawk you’re being patched to Pres with the MC. Pres you're on with Blackhawk in the Security chopper. The chopper is loaded and carrying four of the International Team." Geek tells me and Pres.

  Pres: "Blackhawk and Team Leader, Jake is on his way to run your Ops. Cover VP and LP1 anyway you can. We're hoping for someone breathing to answer question when all is said and done." Did he just give us permission to fire?

  Me: "Permission to engage? Baxter One?"

  Beau: "That's affirmative Blackhawk. Keep it clean".

  Me: "Roger Baxter One, Pres. IST Com permission to engage."

  Zack: IST Leader Com. We have permission to engage. He gets a "Hooyah" for an answer.

  Pres: "HS1 drive them to the reservation.

  VP: "Roger." Fuck He's monotone, he's red.

  Jake: "Blackhawk you're cleared to engage let's get our streets cleared. Move to the lake, switch to stealth, enemy will approach on the east road. Fire at will."

  Me: "Blackhawk Roger. IST Leader Com, we have a fire at will."

  Zack: "Com Roger. IST is in position."

  Pres: "HS1 peel at the top of the hill. You have two pussies coming up behind you."

  VP: "Roger, HS1 peel and move to the tree line. Let the pussies ride through then take position on the road blocking a retreat."

  Rich: "LP2, HS1 Roger."

  VP: "Two hundred yards Blackhawk."

  Me: "Locked and Loaded VP." I watch the hill moving back so we're not visible at a first look.

  Zack: "Visual on enemy hold fire, wait for MC to peel."

  Jake: "IST Leader Com, control has no visual. You're clear for command."

  Zack: "Com Roger. Take them in order Team. Fire at will."

  Me: "Roger." I open fire at the tires of the first truck; the outside guns hit the truck behind then the bike right behind it."

  Zack: "Shots are fired Blackhawk, secure and fire."

  Me: "Roger." I turn the chopper adjust my shot and send a fuckin missile to the truck. We watch it go up. "Clear."

  Danny: "Fuckin sweet! We need a fuckin chopper." I hear the laughing.

  Pres: "HS1 pussies cresting the hill."

  VP: "HS1 Take position when they're fifty foot in."

  Rich: "LP2 HS1 Roger."

  Pres: "VP, Blackhawk, we need answers. Leave me someone to get them from."

  Me: "IST Com, need a breather for answers."

  Zack: "Com Roger. Truck two has movement MC Pres. Blackhawk one fire at lock, keep it low."

  Me: "Roger Com." I hit the tires and move to the edge of the lake turning so Zack has the gun directly in front of the enemy. He fires to the side, the second vehicle stops.

  Zack: On the loud speaker. "Come out with your hands up, lay down on the ground." No one moves. Zack fires at the second truck from earlier. Another gun shoots the second vehicles tires with two rounds. The doors open, men move to the ground. I move over to the road and hear Zack issuing two to repel. "Hold it steady Blackhawk, two hanging."

  Me: "Roger." I hear shots but can't see where they're coming from. I listen to everyone giving and repeating orders. MC bikes are everywhere. There are four alive.

  Pres: "VP we have a boat in the bay circling the perimeter."

  VP: "It was a cover. Blackhawk drop to load." Fuck!

  Jake: "IST Com, Knight has command."

  Zack: "Com Roger. Glad to have him."

  Me: "Roger VP." I hover just above the ground and men come running. VP has Pres get HS2 to the beach. Fuckin Hell.

  VP: "Go, go, go!" I don't even answer. I fly like I'm on fire to the beach. "Get us to the road. Pres clear it."

  Pres: "Cleared. Houses appear empty." Thank fuck they're in the safe rooms.

  VP: "Blackhawk leaving you manned with two. Drop then hover over southern tree line. Cover the pussy floating but don't engage. Wait for my one."

  Me: "Blackhawk Roger." I hover in the center of the road. Fuckin mulch chips are flying from the playground.

  Zack: "Clear Blackhawk take up position."

  Me: "Roger, Com".

  Pres: "We have suv's traveling the highway. Brothers are on the exits. I need LP2 at Security." Fuck.

  Beau: "Baxter Security Team two reporting for transport and clean up in three."

  VP: "LP2 take HS3 through eight, report to Security. B3 follow with the team when BS2 takes command."

  Bob: "Roger VP."

  Rich: "Roger VP."

  Zack: "Ship in the bay Knight."

  VP: "Identify and hold position."

  Zack: "Roger Knight. Blackhawk let’s go see who our friends are."

  Me: "Roger Com.” We do a fly around and go to the southern tree line. Zack gives the info to Beau. The crew is armed. Geek will track the ship.

  We watch the boat circle moving closer to the shore with each pass. They have to see us. I watch the crew. Fuck.

  Me: "they're dropping divers VP."

  VP: "Affirmative Blackhawk." He fuckin knew.

  Zack laughs, and holds his mic. "Fuckin good to have him back."

  Geek: "HS1 three through twelve you're being patched to station two with me and LP2 on Ops."

  Bob: "B3 HS2 Lead Roger."

  That leaves Steve with Danny, Driscoll and Chet from the chopper and two IST. We watch the boat resume its wide perimeter circle. Guess they're done dropping.

  VP: "Blackhawk boat takes northern turn take him out. Keep your position." Holy fuck. Zack is laughing with his cans off.

  Me: "Roger VP." I'm fuckin hoping for someone to step in here and remind him it's the fuckin middle of the day and we're in a populated area. I look at Zack. He shrugs smiling. I lock on the boat and fire. We watch the missile hit and the boat explodes. "Blackhawk clear."

  Pres: "VP think we could be a little less conspicuous out there?" I hear his smile.

  VP: "Negative Pres. Eight divers in the water waiting for a chance to get in a house. I want them to know they don't have a ride home. You want talkers. This is your best shot."

  Pres: "Fuckin beautiful VP. Good fuckin Job." He's laughing. These fuckin guys are crazier than fuckin Zack. He's laughing again. Beau must be holding his fuckin head.

  Jamie: "Baxter One on IST Ops." Thank fuck!

  Me: "Blackhawk Roger."

  Jamie: "Knight holds command until BS2 and 3 are in position to take the ship."

  Me: "Roger One." Zack smiles. Fuckin hell.

  He takes his cans off. "It's like old home week. I fuckin love it." Crazy son of a bitch. I smile at him. I can't laugh over the radio and he fuckin knows it.

  Pres and VP go back and forth. They have three divers being held at the gate.

  VP: "Blackhawk give me a pass of fire, move this along." I laugh. Fuck.

  Me: "Sorry sir, Roger VP." Fuckin Jake is laughing again. I run through firing in the water. "Enemy outside southern fence line thirty
feet in."

  VP: "HS2 three and four pick him up." He gets a Roger and laughs. "Floater twenty out."

  Zack: "Two at rock formation to the north."

  VP: "Take them down Blackhawk."

  Me: "Roger VP." I give Zack a look. He smiles. I get them with two shots. I love the new chopper and new artillery Kevin loaded us with. Even moving I save rounds with less misses. "Blackhawk clear."

  Pres: "Nice Blackhawk."

  VP: "VP clear. HS2 stay in position. Digs monitor the beach. Pres you have five talkers transported by IST. Need cleanup at the beach."

  Pres: "Roger VP. Cleanup One move to VP's position and clear the beach. VP you're needed at the house." They go back and forth. When they're done Zack reminds them we're still hovering out here.

  Zack: "IST Com, positioned at hover over southern tree line."

  Jamie: "IST Com, Drop and collect Two and Woody outside the MC gate."

  Me: "Roger One." Moving us over the water and to the gate Zack is openly laughing on the fuckin radio. "Fuck Brother it's an Op." I hit his arm. He points and I clench my jaw. Fuckin Brothers. There are four divers still in wet suits hanging from the fuckin top rail over the gate. They're blowing around with the chopper‘s back wind.

  I drop and hover, Kevin and Beau run to the door. Zack moves and Kevin sits, he puts his cans on. "I thought they were in transport?" Kevin asks.

  Beau laughs, "Knight wanted a picture for the ship." Zack cracks up over this.

  "He fuckin scares the shit out of me in red but he's always thinking ahead of me." Kevin smiles, “Fuckin Knight is a security genius.”

  I think they're hanging around the MC too much and the fuckin crazy isn’t so crazy to them anymore.

  Me: “Anytime you’re ready I could use a destination. The pussies are swinging pretty good right now.

  “Sorry Blackhawk, hover over your tree line.” Kevin says.

  Me: “Roger Two. Are you my command?”

  Jamie: “Blackhawk we’re not used to sharing command and dropped you. It won’t happen again. You’re under Two’s command.”

  Me: “Roger One.”

  Kevin: “We’re waiting on intel Blackhawk. BS2&3 are in position.”

  Me: “Roger Two.” We’re fuckin hovering forever.

  VP: “One we need communication with Two and Pres.” What the fuck? Kevin looks at me.

  Kevin: “Are we setting down One?”

  Jamie: “Two land at Security.”

  Kevin: “Blackhawk take the Black Hawk to Security.”

  Me: “Roger Two.” Thank fuck I can move. I drop at the back of the lot and shut it down.

  Steve pulls in on a Ducati, not his. I’m wondering what the fuck is happening but I’m not in on Ops meetings so I stick to the chopper and wonder while taking inventory of what we have left onboard. Zack follows Kevin and Beau in. I flip my ear piece on and hear Ben in Ops with the two teams on the water. I let him know I’m on the side. Once I’m done I slide the clipboard in its holder and hear a truck pull up behind me. Turning I see a fuel truck. I pull my gun and he stops.

  Me: “Baxter Ops, Watcher I have sights on a fuel truck. I have no refueling order.”

  Ben: “Hold your position Blackhawk I don’t have one either.”

  The guy in the truck is frozen in place. “Keep your fuckin hands where I can see them.” He raises his hands.

  Ben: “If it’s an Aviators truck stand down Blackwater. One called for a refuel.”

  Me: “Fuckin Hell! Roger Watcher, Blackhawk refueling.”

  I put my gun down and go to the driver’s door opening it. “I need the order.” He just looks at me. “Put your hands down and get me the order.” The truck is from Aviators but I just held my fuckin gun on him while he’s sitting on what could be fuckin bomb of fuel. He hands me the order. I look at the time on it. “You made good time. Go ahead and refuel me.” He takes the order and doesn’t say a word. Moving forward he gets out and refuels me. When he’s done he hands me the order. I sign and he leaves, never saying a fuckin word. Fuck, he’ll be telling this fuckin story for years.

  I’m not thrilled with the fuckin shared Ops today or the last time. I need to talk to them about this before I fuckin lose it while flying.

  Zack, Kevin and Steve come out together and walk toward me. Steve pulls the clipboard. “Did inventory?”

  “Yeah before I held my gun on the fuckin fuel truck.” I tell him pissed.

  “Piss his pants?” He asks with a straight face.

  I smile, “No but couldn’t talk.” He just nods handing the clipboard to Kevin.

  “Let’s go Blackhawk. We have a mission.” Kevin says.

  I climb in doing the preflight checks and get us up and moving. “Take us in a 500 ft. perimeter sweep around the ship.

  Me: “Roger Two.” I run the perimeter.

  VP: “Southeast Island off Island Park.”

  Kevin: “Move into position at the tree line southeast.”

  Me: “Roger.” I move into the tree line and hover. “In position Two.”

  Kevin: “You have two missiles. One to the bow the other aft. Send them together.” Holy Fuck!

  Me: “Roger Two.” I lock both and get ready for the force to push me back. “Locked, get ready for the push. I hit the release and hold the fuck on. “Fired and away.” The new chopper took it better than I expected. We watch the ship blow to fuckin pieces.

  Kevin: “Take the scenic route south then home Blackhawk.” He's so fuckin calm I smile.

  Me: “Roger Two.”

  Zack: “Not much of a push Blackhawk or did you hold it steady?”

  Me: “Both Com, I expected more so I was ready but it wasn’t as hard as I thought it would be. I like the Sikorsky Uh-60. More control over the guns too.”

  Kevin: “You’re a fuckin dead eye in anything Blackhawk. This one gives you the one shot that you like.” I can hear his smile.

  Me: “No wasted artillery that way.” Feels good to get that compliment.

  Zack: “Wish you’d come back to IST.”

  Me: “Not a chance Com.” They banter back and forth. I fly a scenic route to the Compound. Thank Fuck this day is over.

  Landing I run the systems check and hand it all over to Chad. Steve is waiting for me.

  I walk over to my bike and see he has another Security bike. “Fuckin nice shootin today. You fly anythin?” Another fuckin compliment. I smile.

  “Yeah, started with crop dusters then Cessna then jet. Military taught me choppers.” I tell him. He could find out anyway.

  He nods. “Ben’s lookin at the old chopper. Kevin says it’s good condition.”

  “It is. It’s outfitted with everything on the new one but the new pilot controlled guns.”

  He watches me closely. “Said he could get them switched out. Any downside to the old one?”

  “It’s heavier, in wind it’s good but without wind it sucks fuel. Here it would work well. It’s not meant for long flights or extended hovering.”

  “We buy it you’ll fly it?” Fuck.

  “Not gonna lie, I don’t like the Ops lately. Too many chiefs leave me hanging. I pulled a fuckin gun on a fuel truck. I don’t like fuckin up and I don’t like not knowing who I’m answering to. I had four commanders in forty five minutes. I’m shooting and covering, I don’t need to try and remember who the fuck gave the last order.” He knows.

  “Yeah, talked about that. Need a central command for these Ops. The next one has you with one lead. Jamie’s pissed then the fuel truck happened. Thinks he let you down after he said he wouldn’t. Doesn’t want you walkin over it.”

  I pull my hair back and throw a tie in it. “I’m not walking but I can’t keep fuckin up. I work fuckin hard to be straight up and making mistakes doesn’t sit well.”

  He nods, “Got that. Family trait. Never answered. We buy it you fly it? One Ops lead on those days guaranteed.” He’s not letting it go.

  “If I’m not on the job yeah cuz. How often will it be used? May not
be cost effective to have it sit.” Honestly, it could be just a waste of money.

  “Thing is, Christian sees this as the beginnin. Merc’s were after your woman to kill, the Brothers to distract. Little Ben, Christian, Jeremy, Brenna are out there. Tess is out there. In time the twins. He don’t get it thank fuck, but he sees it. Maybe don’t need it tomorrow but we’ll need it and you. Jamie said you trained for satellite but took flyin as sharpshooter. Needed that today. Will need it again. Baxters lookin to use you on jobs. Saw you’re wasted as taxi. Leaves you light on days but with better pay. We work with them gettin couple days a week, same as Ops pay. Don’t give a fuck what you do but when we train and run our own Ops. Yeah?”

  “You already know I’m doing it. One fuckin lead cuz. Fuckin guy’s going to have fuckin stories of crazy Indians for fuckin years.”

  He laughs. “Couple years ago I stopped an Op and had Danny cover Pres. Thought he was out of it, not armed in the middle of a fuckin shoot out. Fucked up, disrespectin Pres who was armed, fucked up the Op then the cleanup. Took a year to get the fuck over it. One fuckin lead. My word.”

  “Fuck cuz, he didn’t shoot you?”

  He laughs, “No was before the C4 too.”

  Fuckin Steve. “I need to get home. The kids must be scared with the fuckin chopper, gun shots and hiding in the safe room. Need to see CJ.”

  “She kept them calm. You picked well. Steady as a rock, she’s strong. Tired though, Tiny sent her to take a nap. Patches has the kids with Tess and Brenda. Jamie’s needin to talk. Doesn’t want to leave it like it is. He don’t fuck up. It’s not sittin well for him either.”

  Fuck, I don’t want to leave CJ longer but I need this to be done too. “Security still at the beach?” He nods. “You coming?”

  “Where ever you're goin.” He smiles.

  I flip my ear piece on. “Blackhawk on.”

  “Baxter’s Watcher in Ops Blackhawk.”

  “Need the 20 on One.” I throw my leg over my bike.

  “Surveillance at the Office Blackhawk, he’s waiting for you.”

  “Roger Watcher, Blackhawk out.” I flip the switch and ride to the office.

  CJ

  I open my eyes and smile. "Love to see that smile baby." He says then kisses my head.

  How the hell did he pick me up without me knowing? Friggin pain meds. "Glad you're back. We heard you earlier. It gave me comfort knowing you were out there keeping us safe."