The group moved forward and about, exchanging handshakes and nods.
With a firm smile, Dave sent a fairer look the woman’s way as he relinquished his hand, a little astonished at her grip strength. “It’s a pleasure.” He smirked at the sunglasses she was wearing, indoors, no less. “Kim keeps it awful bright in here, doesn’t she?”
Jade grinned shyly and nodded, suffering the aftermath of her early morning spell of intemperance.
“Might we have met somewhere before?”
She shrugged. “It’s possible. You’ll excuse me if I don’t recall, no disrespect intended.”
“Perfectly fine. I’ve been known to be wrong on rare occasion, but you do look strikingly familiar,” Dave said. “Emphasis on the striking element.”
Jade tried not taking the praise as a cheesy come-on. She could tell it hadn’t been meant that way. “I’m flattered, thank you. And it’s hard to say, I’ve been all over for all sorts of reasons.”
“Then we definitely have something in common. Glad to have you both with us.” Dave moved behind the table and turned to face the room, waiting a moment for the murmurs and whispers to fall below threshold. “Ladies and gentlemen, venerated colleagues and friends, good evening. I want to thank you all for coming on short notice and making the trip under the circumstances. I realize times have been tough, and for many of you, tougher than they’ve ever been. Reinforcements have arrived, and we’re going to do our best to alleviate some of that. I realize you’ve probably heard this style of rhetoric before, but the words I speak are set in stone and bear zero guile. And my unit’s actions speak for themselves.”
Dave cleared his throat. “A few in attendance tonight know me, while many of you don’t. As such, I mean to address all of you formally and this situation proper, until a suitable comfort level is attained. My name is David Graham, I’m the commanding officer of the unit of fighting men and women who’ve descended upon this valley and your community. I am a retired first sergeant of the United States Army Special Forces, and Kim Mason’s older brother, to help complete the tie-in. The much taller, similarly dressed gentlemen standing beside me is Sergeant Tim Reese, my second-in-command. Tim is also prior SF and an absolute brilliant strategist. After learning what happened here, I brought him along as a windfall, figuring it couldn’t hurt.
“A few months back I sent a convoy into this valley with food rations, medical supplies, and three personnel squads consisting of nineteen highly trained, well-disciplined, well-armed men. Last week, I lost eight of them. And as I orate, one of my finest is fighting for his life. I’m not bringing that up for recognition, sympathy, or to prove any points to anyone, only to level the playing field. I need everyone to know that we are just as invested in what’s happened here as any of you. I have been apprised of the situation and am truly sorry for the losses each of you have sustained. And I’m even more sorry for how long it took us to get here. But we’re here now, presently in the mode of deployment and response preparation.”
Dave took a drink from a bottle of water placed on the table within reach. “Several hours ago, I entered this valley with approximately one hundred and fifty troops, all of whom have orders to serve the cause, whatever we, as a whole, deem that to be. But before we dig into that, I’d like to set a few ground rules. Rule one, please, try your best to ignore the uniforms. As of today, there will be a lot more folks in fatigues moving about on two legs, toting rifles. A cluster of vehicles and equipment is present here that wasn’t before. Our base camp right down the road is a grouping of olive drab general-purpose tents with camouflage netting draped above. In a word, the presence around here is going to shift, and I don’t want that to come as a surprise to anyone. Please try not to worry or feel threatened by it. If you have any questions, just ask. We didn’t come here to take over or change your way of life unless doing so becomes requisite in moving forward safely.
“Rule two, don’t feel compelled to salute, address, or treat us any other way than you would your neighbors. I am one of you, Tim here is one of you. Many of you have already become acquainted with Chief Petty Officer Tang since he’s been here. He’s as solid as they come, and he is also one of you. We’re not anyone special. Just combat-proven men who’ve seen a little more action than most, and who prefer to wear fatigues, sleep with our boots on, and shoot people on occasion. Now, I realize there are probably a thousand thoughts circling through your minds at current. So let’s downshift a minute. Any questions thus far?” Dave pointed left to a raised hand. “Yes, ma’am?”
Woo Tang whispered into his ear.
“Sorry, Mrs. Saunders. Please go ahead.”
“Amy.” She lowered her hand and rose awkwardly. “Did you bring anything to fight back with? You know we got attacked by a military drone, right?”
Dave held back long enough for her to retake her seat. “That’s a reasonable question and an altogether timely one. With any luck, my answer will set some minds at ease. One of the two-and-a-half-ton medium tactical vehicles we brought along has an MML multi-mission launch platform mounted to it. The MML has fifteen tubes, and inside each of them is a foursome of a very formidable, umbrella-sized, surface-to-air interceptor dubbed the MHTK. That stands for Miniature Hit-to-Kill. The missile system comes complete with a radar set, engagement control station, and a whole bunch of other cool doodads, most of which I couldn’t pronounce if I tried. It is unpacked, fully deployed, and actively scanning the sky as we speak.
“As Amy pointed out, the conclusion thus far is that a UAV, that’s an unmanned aerial vehicle, was employed in last Thursday’s attack. Drones have a relatively small footprint. They can fly high enough to hide from the human eyeball, but they can’t hide from radar, and that makes them particularly vulnerable to ground fire. My operators are on the job, highly caffeinated, and have their eyes peeled for unidentified flying objects. If anything is detected above us, we will fire on it and blow whatever it might be to kingdom come without hesitation.”
Another hand rose from the room’s opposite side. Dave went to acknowledge the petitioner, an appealing middle-aged woman with dark brown hair, noticing a friendly face he hadn’t seen in a while seated next to her. “Yes, ma’am…Mrs. Russell, I venture.”
“Yes, that’s right.” Michelle put her hand down. “You’ll have to excuse me, I don’t know much in terms of military anything. But these past few days have been hell on all of us; not knowing when or if another attack is coming has been too much. This missile system you’re referring to…is it foolproof?”
“Another reasonable question,” Dave began. “It’s an electronic device, designed and programmed to search, hunt down, and kill objects and other electronic devices in midair flight, and do so effectively. The MHTK was designed for counter-RAM, that’s detecting and taking out fast-moving indirect fire weapons such as rockets, artillery and mortars. By comparison, drones strafe low and fly slow, around one hundred seventy knots, that’s just under two hundred miles per hour, non-nautical. They lack countermeasures and have no means of defending themselves. The MHTK can acquire, intercept, and destroy targets up to three kilometers out, drones included. That said, only a fool would concede that an inanimate object devoid a human brain tasked with the complex function of active air defense as being foolproof. So, to your question, I must answer no. I have, however, witnessed this gizmo in action, and I can say with authority that it is very adept at the job for which it was designed. Having it here affords my people and me peace of mind, and as such, should offer something of the same for you.”
“Thank you,” replied Michelle, “and it does, which is a far cry from what we’ve been dealing with. But if it isn’t foolproof, there’s always a chance.”
Dave nodded. “Unfortunately, yes, there is. And it’s important for all of us to be real with ourselves. While I do have the capacity to ensure a reasonable modicum of safety and a temporary security blanket, I cannot guarantee full-on avoidance of further loss of life or property. We can mitigate
, and we can defend against whatever may come, but until we get to the bottom of things and sort out all that demands it, the state of affairs here remains a gamble. Bearing that in mind, I would like to extend a recommendation; and please take it only as such, for now. I realize this valley is your home and you’ve all staked your claims here, but that doesn’t mean it has to be your Alamo. All of you should, therefore, bear in mind the possibility of evacuation.”
The group began to converse amongst themselves, overtaking the silence that had retained the room until this point.
Looking more agitated than most, Sarah Taylor spoke up. “Excuse me, Dave, is it? You just got here, when? Today? Have you any idea what else has been going on? My daughter is missing! She’s four—only four years old! And she hasn’t been home in over a week!”
Dave tried to intervene. “Yes, ma’am, I’m aware of—”
“Let me make this simple. There’s no way in hell we’re evacuating!” Sarah shrieked, tears forming beneath bulging eyelids. “We won’t be going anywhere! What a stupid idea! We’re not fucking leaving until we find Emily! You can take that to the bank!” She rose and stormed away and up the stairs.
Bryan Taylor stood and followed his wife, doing his best to offer apologies, and the room soon went quiet again.
“Our Brooke is missing too,” Whitney Schmidt said, her eyes bloodshot, a handkerchief to her nose. “She disappeared a day after Emily. And no one’s here to speak for them, but the two Brady girls are still missing. Surely you didn’t just come here meaning to address one problem and not the other?”
Scott reached for his wife and pulled her close. “Sir, don’t take us the wrong way, please. We appreciate your being here, and we are all very sorry for what happened to your men. Their sacrifice can never be repaid. But we have other issues that need sorting out before we can even begin to consider leaving here. And to that point, I agree with Sarah, because there’s no way either one of us are going anywhere until we find Brooke.”
Nods and gestures of agreement filtered through the group of seated occupants.
Dave absorbed the banter in stride and folded his arms. “As of this moment, I have not been brought up to speed on the precise details of the missing or the extent of the endeavors put forth thus far to track them down. Before I retire to the rack this evening, I plan to know all there is to know, and directly thereafter, I’ll be tasking Tim here and his entire recon subunit with the investigation. And from that point forward, Tim and his men will sift through two hundred thousand acres of the surrounding woodlands to find them should it prove necessary. Any objections, Sergeant Reese?”
“Not a one, LT,” Tim replied.
“I didn’t think so,” said Dave. He sighed, removed his cover, and tossed it on to the table before him. “Folks, I came here to help, not to claim ascendancy. I’m not here to order everyone around, force you out of your homes and the only lives you’ve known since the world folded over on itself. Ironically, this is the freest our country has ever been, and I will not amend that freedom here or anywhere else, over and above. You are free to go about as you have and as you please, and that means if it’s your wish to remain here through thick and thin, until the cows come home or the end of time itself, you may do so. I will not be enforcing any mandates, no matter how fair or unfair—unless the safety of my unit is jeopardized. Missing kids isn’t something to be downplayed, and I empathize with you, I do. But I don’t reason it’s the least bit irrational to consider relocating those not germane to a location out of harm’s way for the interim. But maybe that’s just me.”
Several minutes of back-and-forth followed before the group began to disperse. Dave met with some of them face-to-face and partook in a few brief dialogues before making his way back to his sister and niece to inquire further about Fred. Though before he could get there, Kim had scuttled through the gathering and away, having ushered Megan with her.
Dave had hoped for something of a brief, impromptu family reunion before moving on to the business at hand, but it appeared doing so would have to wait for another time. He motioned for Woo Tang and Tim Reese to rejoin him, and continued toward the staircase to make his exit until the prospect of another reunion crossed his path. Rerouting, he made his approach with an outstretched hand. “Alan, I can’t express how good it is to see you here, sir. It’s been quite a long time, hasn’t it?”
Alan lurched to an inelegant standstill, caught off guard by yet another in a thick catalog of unfamiliar someones he didn’t know, but clearly knew him. He gave the weathered soldier a lengthy once-over from his bootlaces to his tattooed forearms through to his boonie hat, then slipped a hand away from his wife’s to shake with him. “I’ll have to take your word for it, I’m sorry. My memory isn’t what it used to be.”
“Roger that. And no apology is necessary; I’ve been briefed on what happened to you. I’m very delighted knowing you’re still with us. It couldn’t’ve been easy escaping the mound of suck you were up against.”
“Not from what I recall of it.” Alan retrieved his hand and presented his better half. “This is my wife, Michelle, in the event the two of you haven’t met before.”
“We have not.” Dave removed his cover and placed it beneath his left arm, exposing a gnarly, matted buzzcut, then offered his hand. “Mrs. Russell, it is a pleasure to finally meet you, ma’am.”
“Michelle.” She smiled tiredly, concealed a yawn, and took his leathery hand.
“Very well.” Receiving ‘let’s get a move-on’ looks from Tim and Woo Tang across the room, Dave halfheartedly diverted. “Eh, obligation calls. Hate to get this far and bail on you, but a boatload of exigent matters command my attention.”
“That’s okay. It’s plain to see you have a lot going on,” Alan said, looking sheepish. “It’s also plain to see that you and I know each other, but a lot’s missing on my end. At some point, we should converge for some catching up…that is, if and when you’re free.”
Dave replaced his cover and raised a brow. “Converge? Alan, are you asking me out on a date?”
Slightly taken aback at first, Alan recovered quickly. “That’s moving a little fast for me…especially after all this time apart.”
Dave chuckled, his expression taking an upturn. “Very fine. I suppose we can rekindle devoid of rushing into it. How does coffee and shooting the poop strike you?”
“It strikes me as acceptable. My place or yours?” Alan asked, grinning.
“Yours,” said Dave. “Mine’s undergoing renovations at the moment. Would tomorrow morning be too soon?”
Alan looked away, deferring to Michelle.
“Tomorrow morning is fine,” she said, yawning again. “What time should we expect you?”
“Sometime after reveille, I imagine. I’ll drop in once all my ducks are in a row,” said Dave, rough-as-nails smile on display. “I hope Janey opts to join us. I haven’t spotted so much as a trace of her since arrival, which is a might shocking.”
“I’m sorry, Janey?” Michelle reacted.
“Yes, ma’am, your daughter Lauren, my apologies. She’s been Janey to me since initially coming across her full name. I’ve been an Aerosmith fan since youth. The first time I saw her send rounds downrange, ‘Janie’s Got a Gun’ started playing on cerebral repeat. It just sort of stuck since then.” He pursed his lips and gestured his leave. “If you’ll excuse me.”
As he and the others marched off, a look of marked concern dawned on Michelle, and her expression went overcast in a matter of seconds.
Alan reached for his wife’s hand again, and his grip latched on limp fingers, snatching his attention. “Babe? You look ready to pass out. What’s the matter?”
Michelle’s brows drew together. “She wasn’t at the funeral yesterday, was she?”
“Lauren?” Alan straightened and thought a moment. “No, she wasn’t. Then again, I really didn’t expect her to be.” He scratched his head. “She was back and forth Saturday while we were cleaning up and salvaging ou
t back. I assumed she was checking in on Grace and Neo, so I let her be.”
“You let her be?” Michelle scoffed. “We are horrible parents. She spent all day Friday in her room…I didn’t even bother to check on her. Why didn’t I? How could we just leave her alone like that?”
“I don’t know the answer to that, but what else is new? Adjusting to being home remains one massive learning process for me.” Alan sighed exhaustedly. “What happened the other day turned our world upside down; everything’s been a blur ever since. One of my daughters lies comatose in an infirmary, and the other is dead to the world over losing someone she loved. I didn’t know what to say to her then, and I still don’t. I just know something inside told me to leave her be…give her space.”
“Well, that voice inside you is an idiot.” Michelle squeezed shut her eyes, placing the back of her hand to her forehead. “I haven’t gotten a wink of sleep in days, and now Lauren is missing—again. We need to get back now, Alan. We need to find her—we need to find out where she is…where she went.”
Alan squared off with his wife, rubbed her shoulders, and gently nudged her chin. “Hey, calm down. She’s okay. We’ll figure this out, and we’ll find her. We’ll start asking around for who saw her last and go from there. But you can’t operate like this, and I can’t allow you to. For now, let’s go home, get some rest, and regroup.”
Michelle looked up at him and smiled with what little energy she had to pull it off. She nodded approval of his suggestion, though she had other plans in mind.
Chapter 35
The Heart of War: Book Seven of the What's Left of My World Series Page 28