Chapter 51
She grabbed Shana and ran after Caesar. Wally and Randal carried Donny. The SWAT team surrounded the others and followed them up the cement ramp to the garage and then out. A cloud of smoke, flames and burning debris chased after them. Some of Nash’s men received minor shrapnel wounds or burns.
The FBI SWAT team leader spotted them first and sent four of his men to help bring them in. They hesitated when they saw Caesar, which brought smiles to the Portland SWAT members.
Harry and Colin had set up their command center among some trees in a pasture directly opposite the front of Colter’s house but about one hundred yards away. It consisted of one large tent, two black FBI vans and one Lenco BearCat. Two MD500 helicopters circled overhead. Higher up, two Cessna airplanes made wider circles. Two ambulances were parked farther into the pasture next to an opening in the fence.
“How is every—” Harry stopped when he caught site of Zemar carrying Saleha.
“Colter destroyed the tunnel,” she said. It was 12:03 pm. “Right on schedule, I imagine.”
“Most of his men scattered into the hills when we arrived. ATF and National Guard units are out rounding them up. Where’s Craig?”
“He’s dead, as are the Cotton brothers and two men who helped install our network upgrade.”
Harry nodded. “Colter probably still thinks he can get out of this.”
Colin shook her hand. “What’s with the cougar?”
“He’s the only surviving animal from the Harding farm that didn’t escape.”
“We have snipers in position, but they can’t get a good shot at him or the two men with him. He might be wearing a vest full of explosives; it’s hard to tell.”
Three paramedics came from the ambulances. Two took charge of the teenagers. They put blankets around them and took them into the shade behind a clump of trees to be out of the line of fire. Lily accompanied Donny to the ambulance. Caesar stayed at Shana’s side and lay next to her when she sat down beside one of the trees. They would, Joan hoped, keep each other from falling apart.
“It’s clear,” Colin said when he saw where she was looking. “The bomb squad swept that area before going into the field.”
Zemar and the injured SWAT members went with the other paramedic. Zemar placed Saleha into one of the ambulances and remained with his sister.
“What happened here?”
“You just experienced it firsthand. He’s set mines, IEDs and trip wires everywhere. There are hundreds of them, ranging in size from small man-down types to pressure-cooker bombs with nails in them, ones with gas-soaked cotton batten and matches, to ones with C4 and Semtec. I think they made up every kind they could brainstorm.”
Colin said, “They even had drones. Two of them took out ATF’s armored car before it all just stopped.” He pointed to the scorched remains. “Two other ambulances took away our injured.”
She said to Randal, “That’s what those wire traps could have been. They didn’t care about snagging animals; they were just testing their designs. The pits were only misdirection.”
Randal said, “What about the hostages?”
Colin answered, “As far as we can tell, none of them are hurt except Kelly. Colter said she’s only unconscious.”
“Can I talk to him?”
“That might not be a good idea,” Harry said. “Once the tunnel explosions started, he broke contact as soon as he saw you come out of the garage. Before that, he was demanding confirmation you were dead before he would negotiate anything.”
“He knows how this works.” Colin checked his watch. “We’re scheduled to talk again in eight minutes.”
“Come get me when you do.”
Shana, Lily and Donny were sitting in silence when she reached them. They still had blankets around them and each of them had a bottle of water. Donny had a new bandage around his ankle.
She slid down next to Shana. Her left leg twitched as she settled and felt like it was splitting open at the back. Her chin felt thick and hot, some lower front teeth felt loose. Her eyes stung.
Shana leaned over and rested her head on her shoulder. “You’re hurt.” She handed over her bottle of water.
Joan took a drink and then felt thirsty. “A small cut. Craig fixed it up. I’m sorry I took so long to get to you.”
“Zemar kept telling me you’d come. Where’s Craig?”
“He and Caesar saved my life. The twins had chased us up into the mountains. I couldn’t move very well because of my leg and we had run out of ammunition. When they got close, Caesar jumped Billy. Craig tackled Bobby and they went over the cliff.”
“All of this is my fault. If I hadn’t been so determined to get evidence against him. . . .” She started crying again.
“No, sweetheart, it isn’t. Colter’s been making crazy plans for years. You three were just in the wrong place at the wrong time trying to do the right thing.”
Donny asked, “Was my dad working with him?”
“No, your dad was a hero.” She hoped she didn’t sound patronizing. “He was working with the DEA to get information against Colter and his connections in the drug trade.”
Lily said, “Why did they kill my dad?”
“They might have been afraid he was going to tell what he knew. In the end, he was trying to protect you.”
“I’m so sorry,” Shana said.
“It’s that wild-woman gene. You can’t help yourself.”
One of the paramedics came over. “I should take a look at your wounds.”
“I’m fine.”
“Please, mom, let him.” She sniffed. “I couldn’t bear it if I lost you, too.”
She kissed Shana, got up with the paramedic’s help and went to a picnic table they had set up as a first aid treatment area. The SWAT members had been treated and had returned to the command center. Blankets were hung to form privacy screens. She kept watch on Shana over the top of the screen.
“Your teeth are fine,” the paramedic said after checking them. “The sensation will go away as the swelling decreases.”
He then put one small bandage on her chin and one on her cheek before taking off the tight wrapping. The dammed-up pain cascaded down along her leg to her foot. She couldn’t help but moan when she pulled her pants down.
“The wound looks good,” he said once he had the bandages off. His touch was delicate, but not as soothing as Craig’s touch had been. “It just needs a new bandage.” He put one on. “Do you want the wrap? I don’t think it’s necessary.”
“No.” She pulled up her pants and started back for Shana.
Randal caught her attention and waved for her to rejoin them at the command center.
She paused to pet Caesar and kiss Shana on her way.
Wear Something Red Page 51