“First priority is taking antidote samples back to our guys right away,” Mitch added. “If we split up, we may not have the firepower to take a large force once they land.”
“I don’t think we can take out the force they send, and save a pilot, and a helicopter Jack,” Steve said. “About the most we could hope to do is take a prisoner or two, and even that may not be possible.”
“Steve’s right,” Mitch agreed. “When we took out the force in the clearing, we hit them with everything. A few of them still managed to break free of the clearing, and cause trouble. If they have heat-sensing equipment on board, we’ll be sitting ducks. They won’t fly into the area without checking for a trap.”
“I guess we’re back to painting the bulls-eye on ourselves again, and hoping they don’t nuke us from orbit,” Jack replied. “What could we do to get them interested in trying to take us? Did you guys get enough of the antidote to make them want to come and take it?”
“I’m no lab tech,” Steve answered. “Peter and I counted the boxes loaded with injections, and we figure it’s in the tens of thousands. I bet if they’ll send three helicopters after your ragtag bunch, they sure as hell would want those cases of antidotes.”
“If you and Peter picked a spot within a line of fire of about a hundred yards, we could set up fire points at fifty and a hundred yards. Paul and Mitch could position for a crossfire at fifty yards. The kids and I can move to a hundred yards, with my sniper rifle.”
“Dad,” Jake interrupted. “You know we would probably end up shooting Uncle Paul and Mitch instead of the enemy. Sarah, Luke, Nick, and I need to be with them at fifty yards, so we can do some damage. Debbie can stay with you, and hand you ammo, or steady your gun.”
“Your Dad's right, Jake,” Paul said. “You didn’t see what they let loose on us, and how quickly they did it. Those gunships have rockets, and they can cut loose fast, which brings me to the next question: how in hell do we keep Steve and Peter alive, not to mention Mitch and I, once we start firing?”
The room became quiet, and Jack rubbed his face and sat forward in his chair. “I don’t have a clue.”
“Look folks, we have to get it straight about war,” Steve said. “People die. Now I don’t want Peter and I blown to hell, or anyone else, but this looks like the time to take a chance. If we pick out a rocky area away from where we signal, Peter and I can make for the rocks when they come into sight.”
“I don’t know, Steve. What makes you think they even care anymore? They might have all of it launched already, for all we know. I say we walk out of here early, if the weather turns, and find a spot to reach our people. We can report everything we have, and let them sort it out. We’ll set an ambush if they do intercept our broadcast, and see how things turn out.” Jack turned to his brothers. “What do you two think?”
“I don’t like the tricky plan either. Capturing a helicopter, and a pilot, and getting him to fly us might be a little much, even if we were a Seal team,” Mitch agreed.
Paul shook his head and grinned. “I want a piece. I’m tired of running and hiding. If we could make a difference here, I say we should lay the hand on the table.”
“We can do it, Paul, if we start broadcasting stuff they don’t like out in the open where our people can hear it. If the bad guys come to kill us, or get back the antidote, who cares? We’ll be in position, and we’ll not have to take prisoners. We have enough rockets to take them down in the air, and if the SOB’s hover for twenty seconds, I will blow the head off the pilot as he sits,” Jack replied.
Mitch began to laugh and said, “you’ve been shooting that big bore son of a bitch for a while Jack, without a shoulder pad, and I saw your shoulder. It looks like someone has been hitting it with a hammer. Exactly how many more shots do you think you are good for with any accuracy?”
Jack grinned at his brother. “Just as many fucking rounds as I can get targets for, brother. Hell, the pain in my ribs will probably make me pass out long before the shoulder does. I’ll get a pad before I have to start shooting again, Mommy. If I had half a brain, I would have had my shoulder pad with me.”
“I like the idea of getting the message out to someone, and then doing what we can to damage them,” Steve added. “We can set a hell of a trap if they get to our transmitting point, but we’ll have waste them before they start pinpointing our positions.”
“We will all have to bug out after we fire a couple times anyway,” Paul said. “They targeted our positions quick. Jack and I were damn lucky.”
“Okay,” Steve agreed, “we’re in. Let’s get a couple hours sleep. We’ll leave before dawn, no matter what the weather looks like. I think we should use the same clearing as they used to land the helicopters. I know of a few spots Peter and I saw, which would be great to set up shop for an ambush.”
“Let’s split the kids up like we did in the clearing, and we’ll pick our spots when Steve and Peter lead us there. I’ll keep Wolf with me, so no one will be shooting him by mistake.” Jack turned to Mitch. “You haven’t said much. What do you think?
“I think we should have two fire teams: Steve and Peter in one, you, Paul and I in the other. We need the kids to be in a position far away from where we are. I want someone to live. If they have Wolf, and are heading in the opposite direction, they have a chance. You can bet they have this place wired now. What’s to say they won’t come here in force. If the weather had not been so bad, they might have followed the first raid with rocket strikes, and screw the antidotes.”
“They will,” Steve pointed out, “but we need higher ground, and clear of the cliffs to get a signal out. We have to be away from here before dawn, because they will probably hit us here first just as you say. We can get to the place where Peter and I took the other helicopters out in about an hour. I like your idea about getting the kids started out of here towards where you have the vehicles stashed. They can wait for our signal, one way or the other, and then either stay or bug out.”
“Agreed,” Jack put in. “Sarah will be in charge. Jake… you, Debbie, and Nick know your way to the SUVs. With Wolf along as scout, it’ll be a walk in the park.”
“We can help, Dad,” Jake replied angrily. “You can’t cut us out!” He paused as his father turned to stare at him. “Don’t bother with that Vulcan Death Stare crap either.”
Jack tried to maintain the stare, and then began to laugh. “You know how to follow orders, don’t you boy? I call the shots for this group. Are you man enough to do what you are told, or not?”
Jake started to argue, and then fell silent. He looked down for a moment, and then back up into his Dad’s eyes. “You’re in charge Dad, I’ll do what I’m told, but I don’t have to like it. We could help.”
“You don’t have to like it,” Jack replied. “You’re man enough to know I don’t want you to see me die, and I sure as shit don’t want to watch any of you kids die. We made it through the attack on the old camp, and the one here, because everyone did as they were told. You have to make a break back to the main base, and it won’t be easy. You’ll have to travel by night, and hide out in the day. We will expect to call in to the base, after we get done, and hear that all of you made it safe. The SUV’s have to be made ready to roll, so you all can get there. Think you can do that?”
“Of course,” Jake answered, “and I’m driving.”
Jack stood slowly. “I guess you can. You’ll have to take it slow anyway. I’m going to lay down. Wake me, and anyone else who’s asleep in about three hours." Jack looked at his daughter, "you okay with this honey or do you want to give me a bad time too?”
Sarah smiled with a shrug. “Nope. You’re right, I don’t want to watch any of you die." She stood up and hugged her Dad carefully for a moment. “I’m going to lay down too.”
Paul said, “I’ll tell Nick to wake us in three, and say good night.”
Chapter 9
The Ambush
The roaring of the ocean from underneath the water pounds subl
iminally in Jack’s temple. He feels something has him in a harsh grip, ripping him upwards at a fantastic speed. The darkness gives way to a shimmering light, and the roaring ocean subsides, leaving the pounding in his head, and his brother Mitch’s smiling face.
“Hey old man, your three hours are up. If you can sit up, I have some Ibuprofen to give you for the pain.”
Jack stared blearily up at his brother, and tried to sit up. The pain ripped an involuntary gasp from his clenched teeth, and he collapsed back down on the mat.
“Hey Paul, you better call Biggie Tow,” Mitch called to his brother. “I think we have another derelict in need of a pickup.”
Paul stopped loading his pack, and came over with a big grin. “Well, well, well, what have we here? The famous turtle in the desert, lying on his back.” Paul lifted his hand, as Jack tried to speak. “I know… and we’re not helping.”
Jack hears Steve and Peter chuckling in the background over the Cyborg testing reference from the movie ‘Blade Runner’. Mitch leaned in close, and then backed up in feigned surprise, “Jack, you look simply awful. Shall we give him a hand up Paul?”
Paul bent down closer, and then moved away shaking his head, "I vote we leave him. He looks like something from the Crypt of Caligula.”
By then everyone had come over to enjoy a laugh at Jack’s expense. “You know, I should have been working on a time machine all these years,” Jack whispered.
“Huh?” Mitch laughed.
“He’s delirious,” Paul added.
“Yep, if I had a time machine, I could have gone back, and slipped Mom some birth control pills, before you two turds came along.”
Jack got his hands down to his sides, and rolled to his left slightly, as he pushed up. Paul reached around, and supported his neck while he sat up the rest of the way, to the chorus of mock applause from his audience. As he straightened, a pain shot up his side as if someone had crushed his rib cage with a sledge hammer. Jack blacked out for a moment, and began to collapse again. With Paul on one side, and Mitch on the other, they supported him, while Sarah wiped his face with a cold, wet cloth.
“This ain’t funny, bro,” Mitch said solemnly.
“We don’t have much of a choice in the matter,” Paul replied.
Jack lifted his head again, and looked painfully from side to side at each of his brothers. He grinned with a small wave of his hand. “I know we have to get the hell out of here. Do you have some tea to go along with those painkillers, Mitch?”
Mitch nodded as he let Paul support Jack. He put three Ibuprofen in his mouth. Jack swallowed gratefully, chasing the pills down with some tea. He sat up all the way on his own. “If you guys can get me up in a chair, and keep the tea coming. I’ll be fine.”
Peter brought a chair over, and set it next to the mat. Jack gripped his two brothers’ arms, and they hoisted him up, and into the seat. “Thanks guys. Man, that’s a lot better.”
“Oh yeah,” Mitch said wryly, “you look wonderful now.”
Jack waved at his daughter. “Keep the tea coming, honey, I just need to loosen up a bit.”
Mitch began to laugh, and the rest joined in, as they let the absurdity of their situation sink in. “I’d put a bullet in him, and end his misery, but he ain’t even worth the ammunition.”
“Loosen up, my ass.” Steve leaned over to look into Jack’s swollen face. “Yeah, Sarah, give him some more tea, but I ain’t holding it for him when he has to piss.”
Sarah patted her Father’s shoulder, and took the empty mug over to get more tea.
“Well guys, you’ll have to pack without me, I’m afraid. I don’t appreciate this lack of respect for the wounded either.”
By this time everyone was back to packing for what they were to do. Sarah handed Jack his second cup of tea, and noticed he took the cup with steady hands. “Will you be okay to go Dad?”
Jack sipped the hot, sugared mixture. “We all have to be okay to go… me in particular. I need you to hunt a pad up for me, maybe from out of the medical kit, something thick, but pliable.”
“Your rifle really kicks, huh? I saw the bruise in the crook of your shoulder, and it sure didn’t come from any of the wounds.”
“You’re a smart kid, and yes, I need something between me and the blunt end of that cannon, or I will flinch every time I squeeze one off.”
“Do you ever wish you were young again, Dad?”
“Hell no. I don’t mind being old, and I sure don’t want to go back in time. I would settle for all my body parts waking up at the same time though. You better finish with your stuff. I’ll be okay.”
“Jake’s packing for me, and I had most everything done anyway. I’m the designated nurse until you get on your feet. I have to help you get cleaned up, so Uncle Mitch can bandage you again, and it’s going to hurt like hell.”
“I don’t need any convincing of that. Let’s do it. The painkillers are kicking in, and the tea has me beginning to feel my toes again.”
Jack set his tea cup down, stood up, and began to stretch slowly from side to side. He moved his arms around, as he twisted his upper body in slow oscillations. He ducked down, and let Sarah pull off his top. He sat down again as she removed his bandages. After she had thrown away his dressings, and the wrap from around his chest, Jack moved over to where Sarah had poured a basin of hot water. He soaped up the washrag she gave him with the medicated surgical soap, and washed all the parts he could reach. He handed Sarah the cloth, to wash his back and upper shoulders. Every movement produced a new agonizing stab of reality. Sarah began sponging the actual wounds with a peroxide soaked cloth. Jack waited until she was through before sitting down again. Mitch came over, and re-wrapped his chest area, while Sarah bandaged his head again.
Paul walked over to look over the finished product.
“Don’t say it, you prick,” Jack warned.
“I was just wondering if all this work on you will be worth it,” Paul stated. “You don’t look like you can walk out of here, and I have some bad news. The storm quit about ten minutes ago. We’ll need the snowshoes on to walk out. With snowshoes, Steve figures it will take us forty-five minutes to get to the helicopter site. Do you still want to use that site to make the call?”
“Yep. I do.” Jack slowly began putting his gear on. “They will launch pretty soon. I want to give them a target soon, so we can give the kids a chance to make it to the SUV’s. Steve, did you clear the antidotes of any bugs for sure? I don’t want them following along after the kids.”
“I got it done, and I kept some samples for us in case they want to come right for us. I’m sending Peter down with the kids. He knows one more guy ain’t going to make a difference where we’re going, and two man teams make good sense. If they need to dig out the SUV’s, and I expect they will, they’ll need him there. What do you think?”
“Sounds good to me. Keep everyone spaced, Peter. With Wolf scouting for you, you can concentrate on your formation. If something does go wrong, you won’t all be bunched up. We have to move out now. I’m ready to go. Paul, you go with Steve, and Mitch will go with me when we split up. I know your head must still be ringing from yesterday, because mine sure as hell does. At least we have time for the earplugs today.”
Jack let Sarah get his snowshoes fastened on, and then they all said their good-byes, and stepped out into the semi-darkness. The cold still air, and the glistening landscape made Jack smile. He began singing ‘I’ll be home for Christmas’ to the amusement of all. The four men watched Peter, and the kids, start out dragging their pack sled, with Wolf in the lead. After a few moments, Steve led them out to bypass the booby traps. He then guided them towards the now destroyed helicopter landing area he and Peter had destroyed the day before. All of their gear, including the rocket launchers, and weapons, were loaded on two sleds, which Paul and Mitch dragged along in the rear. Jack stumbled a little at first, becoming the target for derisive jibes, urging him to get on the sled, so they would have a chance to get where the
y were going in the next week. After a half hour of walking, and sipping from the big thermal travel mug of tea, Jack began to loosen up, and feel better than he had since before the attack. He chewed on granola bars in between the sips of tea, to keep up his strength and body heat. Jack looked ahead at Steve’s figure in the first gray light, marveling at the way the man could move with only one natural leg. He saw Steve stop, and motion for them to halt. Jack relayed the order to Paul and Mitch, who quickly halted the sleds. Steve walked back to them, munching on a granola bar.
“The landing zone is right over this ridge. We’re about a hundred feet above it, and maybe four hundred yards away from it. The sun’s beginning to glint on the wreckage. Leave the sleds, and I’ll show you the spots I think we can really hurt them from, and still not get each other in the crossfire. They will be coming to kill us, and the antidotes will be secondary. I know they’ll have heat sensors, so we need to get under the rocks, and have a couple of spots picked out to go to after we fire a few shots. You guys know the drill. Come on.”
Steve led them to where they could see a mangled scene of twisted metal hulks and debris, spread around an area of nearly a hundred yards. Although the forest was thick in spots, most of the terrain consisted of rocky outcroppings, surrounding the area where the helicopters lay in ruin. Steve pointed out the spots he thought they could move between, and still be relatively hidden. They knew their chances were nil if they didn’t do most of the damage in the first few minutes.
“I have a plan for when they come,” Jack said.
“You ain’t planning on shooting at one with your elephant gun are you?” Paul asked.
“Listen Paul, if I can tag one from say half a mile, we can screw them up. They won’t know where, or what hit them. We’ll make our call, and leave the channel open for them to trace. We’ll get the hell away from where we put it, and set up our field of fire.”
“Now that could get interesting,” Steve agreed. “We’re not taking prisoners, so what the hell. After they get hit, they’ll start firing in all directions, until we give them another target site. If Paul and I go across the clearing, and set up past the wrecks, and you two stay by the next ridge, we’ll still have places to move to in open terrain. On top of that, we can send from right here, and give them this ridge to go for.”
American Survival (DeLeo's Action Thriller Singles Book 5) Page 9