by Paul Kirk
“Enough of the reunion, commander. Is there anyone else we need to worry about?” asked Major O’Malley.
“No, it’s just me.”
“Where’s everyone else?”
“Can I approach?” he asked.
“Yes,” agreed the major. “Very slowly.”
Del Re approached slowly, walking straight toward Major O’Malley. When he was within a few feet, he stopped and held out his hand. The major ignored it and Del Re lowered his hand slowly. “Are you with Connor Mac?” he asked the major.
Major O’Malley ignored the question. “Search him, Scott.”
“I can vouch for him, major,” said Keenan.
“Fair enough,” said Major O’Malley. He held out his hand and Italo Del Re grasped it enthusiastically. “Commander, I’m Major Michael O’Malley, United States Army. It’s good to meet you, sir.”
“It’s good to meet you, major.”
“GT, please return the commander’s weapon.”
“Yes, sir,” he said, checking the safety and handing the weapon to Del Re, grip first.
“Commander, I need to update my commanding officer—she’s in the helicopter. I would appreciate if you could quickly inform me of what has occurred in your town.”
“Whatta ya need to know, major?”
“Where are your people? Are they dead?”
“No, major, let me bring you up to speed,” he said. “My people are hiding out in a cave a little less than a mile from here. Connor Mac made it clear we couldn’t defend ourselves against the army that was coming. A guy named Phoenix and his men were chasing Connor Mac and his men. He convinced me to clear out with everything we could—we only had a couple hours.”
“You've spoken with Colonel MacMillen! Your people are safe?” asked the major.
“Yeah, they’re safe—a little cramped maybe, but safe. And you’re with Connor Mac, right? He told me about you guys. Is President Starkes in the helicopter?”
The major relaxed substantially. “Commander, are you sure there’s no one around here who’s gonna take a shot at us?”
“There’s nobody out here, major. At least not anyone from my town. I know it was a risk coming out here, but I heard the rotors of the ‘copter and I knew it was you.”
“Hang on a second, commander. I gotta radio the bird.” Major O’Malley lifted the radio. “This is O’Malley. Over.”
“We read you loud and clear, major. Over.”
“We have a Commander Del Re with us, colonel—he and his people are friendlies. Over.”
“Is it safe to land, major? Over.”
“Affirmative, colonel. There’s no threat detected. I have news.”
The Superhawk settled gently in a field about fifty yards from the gates. It disgorged its occupants with Colonel Starkes in the lead and a perimeter was quickly established. The colonel nodded approval as Shamus and two others stayed with the aircraft, each eyeing the empty field with distrust. On the ground, Lieutenant Daniels began a slow circuit of the helicopter, searching for any sign of a threat and Lieutenant Tim McDonald stayed on station at the bay doors, seeking sniper-ready targets. His focus was primarily aimed at the city itself in case there were hostiles yet unseen. Amanda stood next to him, hoping for a chance to be more involved. As the distance grew in her slow trot away from the helicopter, Colonel Starkes turned and caught the hungry way Amanda waited in the bay, gun ready.
“Dammit!” mumbled the colonel. “I guess if Connor Mac can send her in harm’s way, she must be something more than a pretty face.”
With a point and a wave, the colonel motioned for Amanda to join up. Wasting no time, Amanda jumped down, the Remington comfortable in her hand.
“About damn time,” she said under her breath. Excited, Amanda's health increased with each jolt of adrenaline.
CHAPTER 11.4-A Lung Shot
“We did some damage to that fucker's army, colonel,” said Mickey. He was speaking of the chaos Connor’s group had created within the ranks of Phoenix Justice’s men. Connor recognized Mickey was trumpeting the positives of the destruction they had wreaked to avoid his mounting anger over the serious wounds Burroughs had sustained during the fighting.
They had reached the RV minutes before. Mickey had carried Burroughs’ unconscious body to the back of the vehicle and had deposited him on a sofa bed where Rhonda began to cut away the wounded man’s shirt.
“You guys did a good job, Top,” said Captain Daubney, unwilling to trust his voice to say anything else.
“You stopped most of the bleeding, Mickey,” said Rhonda. She was worried that Burroughs looked exceptionally pale. She suspected he was bleeding internally, probably into his lung.
“It went straight through him, ma’am,” said Mickey.
“I see, Mickey,” she said, tearing the shirt away from Burroughs and inspecting the entrance and exit wounds. Rhonda had had four years of training as a nurse before she had decided to follow an occupational path in the corporate world. “Mickey, go get Rice,” she said.
“Yes, ma’am.” He left, but was back in a few moments, Sergeant Rice at his heels.
“You’re a medic, right?” Rhonda asked Rice.
“Yes, ma’am.”
“This is an excellent field dressing.”
“Thank you, ma’am.”
Rhonda waved him to the back corner of the RV, out of earshot of the others. “What’s your survival assessment?”
“I’m not sure, ma’am. He got hit high up—I would guess a lung shot, right upper lobe. There’s not much we can do. He’ll bleed out into his lungs unless we can perform some kinda surgery to aspirate and close up his internal wounds.”
“How long can he hold out, Rhonda?” asked Captain Daubney.
“I’m not sure. Let’s just keep him comfortable.”
“How long?” asked Connor icily.
“Mac, just let me help this man, would you? Rice, do you have any more codeine?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Give him one—it should make him more comfortable.”
Rice delved into his bag for the medicine. Burroughs hadn’t regained consciousness. His head lolled on the dusty mattress and his shallow breathing had an unpleasant and portentous rasp. A small amount of blood had seeped from his mouth. Everyone but Rice and Connor had moved outside the RV.
“He’s not gonna make it, Mac,” whispered Rhonda with tears in her eyes. “His lungs are filling with blood. The best we can do is take away his pain.”
“You’re sure?”
“Yes, unfortunately. We don’t have the trauma equipment and if we did, his survival would still be iffy. I’m so sorry, Mac,” she said, wiping at a running tear.
Connor touched her arm. “Rhonda, thank you for trying. I’ll tell the men.”
He exited the RV, his eyes shiny with unshed tears. “Listen up, guys. Burroughs took a lung shot and he’s bleedin’ out. He’s not gonna make it. Rhonda’s in there making him as comfortable as possible.”
Edgars unleashed a single sob, the truncated sound exposing his level of grief.
“I swear I’m gonna find the fucker who shot him if it’s the last thing I do,” said Mickey through gritted teeth.
“Not if I find him first,” said Edgars matter-of-factly.
“I’m more interested in making the whole army pay,” said Connor.
“What’s the plan, colonel?” asked Captain Daubney. “We going after ‘em now?”
“No, their army’s too large. I have no doubt we’d put a serious hurtin’ on ‘em, but eventually they’d wear us down with their numbers.”
“Never happen!” yelled Mickey, forgetting military decorum for the moment.
“I hear ya, Top. I sympathize—I do. You’re better than twenty of those guys put together—each one of you is. But, they have too many men and too many weapons—we can’t handle them head on. We’ll continue south on Route 119 and then east on Route 40. We need to get up that mountain—we’ll secure reinforcements ther
e and make a stand.”
“We’re runnin’, sir?” asked Captain Daubney.
“No, captain, we’re simply choosing the battleground. One that gives us an advantage.”
“It feels like we’re running from a fight, colonel,” said Edgars. “Burroughs dies and we just fucking run away.”
“Yeah,” agreed Rice who had joined them outside.
Connor suppressed his anger, knowing these men were eager to exact revenge for their fallen comrade. “Right now, I know most of you want to choke the shit out of anyone associated with Phoenix Justice. I know I do. But, here's the problem. You are under my command. That means I give the orders and you follow them. I will not have my orders questioned. Are we clear?”
There was a smattering of affirmative responses that did little to quell Connor’s rising anger.
“I said ‘Are we clear?’”
The men squared their shoulders and stood braced at attention. “Yes, sir!” they yelled in unison.
“Good. Now then, Captain Daubney?”
“Yes, sir, colonel?”
“When BB and Marty return, I want you to set an overwatch covering our six. We move now. Sergeant Rice, ask Rhonda if she needs any help with...Burroughs. His body will be transported on a horse until we have time to find a suitable burial place. Any man who was part of the rear guard in the last encounter with Phoenix’s army is under orders to be on horseback for the next ten miles.” Connor stared at Mickey, daring him to protest.
Jackson was propped against the side of a Buick, his legs, one of which sported a tourniquet, stretched out in front of him. Jason sat next to him, loosening the tourniquet at two minutes intervals and keeping the dozing Jackson upright. They had given him two of the codeine tablets for the pain and washed them down with a significant amount of whiskey. The kneecap, hit during the earlier skirmish was shattered at the joint and though Connor didn’t know much about medical procedures, he suspected the man’s leg, if he kept it, would be useless.
“Jackson will be riding as well. Each of you men are under my orders and you will follow me without question. You will not regret it. I have never failed in a mission and I don’t intend to start now. We will climb that mountain. We will set up our defenses. We will defeat this piece of shit following us. On my terms.”
“Hoorah,” said Mickey softly but with conviction.
“If everything goes as planned, we’ll have some help at the top of that mountain.”
The men looked confused at Connor’s last comment, Captain Daubney in particular, but nobody asked Connor what he meant and Connor didn’t feel the need to shed any more light on the matter.
He hoped that his long ago plans with Mark Harmon were put in place, at least at a basic level. If they were to succeed, he would need the help of his old friend.
CHAPTER 11.5-Sharing Big Momma's Ale
“Colonel, this is Commander Italo Del Re—he's the leader of about two hundred people who live in this town. Commander, this is Colonel Hannah Starkes, President of the United States.” Major O’Malley made the introductions and took a step back to let the two take stock of one another.
“Colonel, it’s a real pleasure meeting you,” said Del Re. He shook hands with excitement.
The commander’s enthusiasm was contagious, but Colonel Starkes needed to determine what the man knew. “Where are all your people, commander?”
“In a small cave, colonel. It’s northeast of the city,” he said, pointing back into the field he had run through.
“A cave?” she questioned.
“Yes, ma’am. It’s where we keep our ale and our cheese—nice and cool there. We’ve also had practice drills to use it as a hideaway and it worked—at least it worked today. It’s a little cramped in there, but it kept us outta harm’s way.”
“Did you say ‘ale’?” asked Major O’Malley.
“Major, please stay on task,” said Colonel Starkes.
“Yes, ma’am.”
Commander Del Re faced the major. “It’s a very strong ale, major—ABV of 6.9 or so. Sometimes it’s even higher.”
The colonel’s radio came to life. “Colonel, this is Shamus. Two men are coming from the same direction as the commander. They’re a hundred yards out, ma’am, but their weapons are neutral. They’re carrying rifles and they both have holstered handguns. Over.”
“Copy that, Professor. Stand by.” She turned to Del Re.
“They’re probably mine, colonel. Josh and Russ,” he said, shading his eyes from the rising sun. “Can I code them in?”
She used her binoculars to assess the two men. There were walking at an easy pace and everything about them appeared to be non-threatening. “Major O’Malley?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Take a few men and meet ‘em halfway. If they relinquish their weapons and submit to being searched, they can join their commander.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Major?” interrupted Commander Del Re.
“Yes, commander?”
“Use the word ‘mongoose’. It’s our code word for the day and it will put those men more at ease.”
“Okay, commander, I will.”
“Colonel,” said the commander, as the major left to meet the two men, “my town and its people are at your disposal.”
“How many people in your town are alive? How many survived the attack?”
“All of us survived, colonel.”
“That means you knew they were coming. Was it Connor MacMillen who told you?”
“Yeah, colonel. Connor Mac showed up a few hours before that army came through and warned us in time to evacuate. He admitted that the army was following him and he apologized for it, but he convinced us to hide instead of fighting it out.”
“You saw Colonel MacMillen? He was alive and well?”
“Yes, ma’am. He mentioned that he’s taken command of the men previously under your command. He knows you’re looking for him, colonel.”
Colonel Starkes’ face lit up with a bright smile. “Please, commander, go on.”
“Okay. But do you mind if we go into my command post and assess the fire damage? This story might take some time, colonel.”
“I’m not sure, commander. Your town’s not secure yet.”
“The army that passed through here did just that, colonel—they passed through here. I’m certain there aren’t any stragglers. Besides, there’s some ale at my command post and I’m sure your men could use some refreshment. I know I’m feeling a bit parched.”
“You didn’t engage the enemy at all, commander?” she asked.
“No, ma’am. The army was huge—I’m sure we would’ve gotten our asses handed to us. I’m glad Connor Mac talked me outta trying to defend. Connor Mac and I had a few surprises for ‘em when they came through.” Del Re began a slow walk toward the town’s northern gate and Hannah Starkes reluctantly followed.
“GT, take Scott, Daniels, and Amanda ahead to secure the area.”
“Yes, ma’am,” he answered and the four began a quick trot into the town.
The colonel glanced behind her and saw Major McLoy and Lieutenant Wahlberg covering their six. She hesitated near the gates, reluctant to expose herself to the multitude of potential dangers. She gently touched the commander’s shoulder. “Let’s wait here, commander. I want my team to have some time verifying the threat level.”
“Of course, colonel,” he answered amiably.
She noticed that the four-man team she had sent inside the town moved together very smoothly. The ease with which Amanda moved among the three others was impressive and the colonel recognized Amanda’s confidence and expertise in covering her sector. The men had accepted her into their clearing efforts and the knowledge vindicated her decision to include Amanda.
Major O’Malley and the two newcomers joined Del Re and Colonel Starkes. “Major, follow the advance team and take these men with you,” she ordered, indicating Josh and Russ. “Have them identify the command center and set a per
imeter around it.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Colonel Starkes and Commander Del Re followed the men at a slower pace and the colonel caught the commander looking at her. “What’s wrong, commander?” she asked.
“I find it hard to believe that you gave Connor Mac control of half your men—but you’ve never met him. Is that right?”
“Yes, that’s correct.”
“Can I ask why?”
“Did Colonel MacMillen tell you that?” she asked.
“No, it was Captain Daubney who mentioned it.”
“I see.”
“But you authorized it, colonel?”
“Yes, I did.”
“But why?”
Hannah Starkes smiled, excited about the prospect of meeting Connor MacMillen. She was pleased with her decision to relinquish control of her men to him without benefit of meeting him directly. Her decision and Connor MacMillen’s ability to convince Del Re to hide had likely saved over two hundred lives. “His military record speaks volumes, commander. As I found out more about him, I discovered that he outranks me, not only in position, but also in service time. By all accounts, he's my ranking commanding officer. We bring him in, he'd be president, not me.”
“But—“
“In addition, he’s a national asset, commander. He’s in a position to ask for—and get—whatever he wants.”
“Does he know that, colonel?”
“I'm sure the captain briefed him. I can’t think there’s any possible way he doesn’t know it.” She noticed Major O’Malley signaling “all-clear” and increased her pace.
They walked quickly to a dark blue building and one of the men held the door open for them. Inside was a long table. On the wall at one end of the table hung a chalkboard and there were at least a dozen chairs around the table, no three alike. Major O’Malley and Amanda stood inside the doors.
“Do you have any further orders, ma’am?” asked Amanda.
“Yes, I do. Scott and GT have fire suppression experience. They’ll go with Josh and Russ to assess any fire damage and determine a containment plan. I think it’s safe to bring back your people, commander. We might need their help.”