by Alex Mersey
Now Sean leant forward, elbows on his knees, and filled them in on the fort, the Silvers battlecruiser and the debriefing with Captain Davis.
“Does this change anything?” asked Lynn when he’d finished.
“We need to be on the alert for a ground attack, not just from the skies,” Beth said.
Sean nodded. “Other than that, I’m not sure. The fort’s a good hour drive north of here, so the threat isn’t exactly in our back yard. What do you think?” He looked from Lynn to Beth. “We could move on, put more distance between us and what could be a Silvers military compound.”
“Or we could stay,” Beth said slowly, softly, “and learn what these alien critters are up to.”
“I’d definitely like to take a closer look at that battlecruiser and get inside the fort,” Sean agreed. “For all we know, they could be vulnerable outside their ships and we might have the home advantage.”
Lynn took longer to digest the facts and consider the impact on her seven year old son’s safety. Finally, she said, “Our plan holds. We have an exit route at the first sign of Silvers and I still think this is the best place for Johnnie. But…” Her gaze narrowed on Sean, then on Beth. “The two of you need to think real hard before you start poking around at that fort. The army knows what they’re doing; they have the training and experience. What if you go bumbling in and blow the operation? Then you’ll be dead and no one learns anything.”
Beth snorted. “Gee, thanks for the confidence boost.”
“Lynn is right,” Sean said firmly. He’d brought enough companies back from the brink of bankruptcy to appreciate the importance of delegation. He looked from the M4 to Beth. “Captain Davis already has his soldiers all over this.”
Beth’s mouth flattened in begrudging acceptance.
“What about everyone else?” Lynn said. “People deserve to know the Silvers are on the ground.”
“I’ll work on it, but it has to come from Captain Davis,” Sean said. “He’s no fool, so I’m sure he’s aware I share classified intel with you, but if it spreads further than us, he’ll cut me out of the loop. Speaking of which…” Sean stood with a grimace. “I have to see the Hendersons about a truck.”
- 3 -
Chris
“Checkmate,” Alli said without enthusiasm as she moved the white queen across the board. “Yippee, I win again.”
“Rematch?” suggested Chris.
She gave him a look. “What’s the point? You’re not even trying.”
“I am trying! You’re just too good.”
“I’m not that good.” Using her queen as a bat, she sent his poor king flying clear off the board. “You’re that bad.”
“What I said.”
He spread his legs out on the floor and rested back on his elbows. Alli could be a real pain, but he still had another hour to kill and, besides, he didn’t really blame her. She’d been let out of her sick bed three days ago, but she was practically under house arrest until Doc Nate gave the green light and her big sis was satisfied she wouldn’t collapse in the streets from a failed heart or lung or whatever.
“Chris?” She was staring at the flickering candle flame, didn’t look up as she spoke. “What’s the one thing you miss the most?”
She didn’t need to add—before the invasion—before the apocalypse—before the EMP swept us into the dark ages…emphasis on dark, black, total wipeout.
He sighed, refused to let his mind go there for the most part. “I wouldn’t know where to start.”
She glanced across the candlelight to him. “No, not people or places. Thing.”
“Oh, well, that’s easy.” He grinned at her. “A hot shower.”
“Yeah, that comes a close second.”
“Second?” he scoffed. “So you don’t mind lugging buckets of river water to fill the makeshift tank just so that you can be drizzled in icy water for 30 seconds?”
“Not so much, if I could do it to a decent tune.” She wrinkled her nose, scooped her long black hair over one shoulder. “The thing I miss most is music.”
He thought of the cave party arranged for later tonight, Jackson and his guitar, and almost said something. What harm could a couple hours fun really do? And he could probably talk the doc into letting Alli out for a bit. Beth was the problem. He’d rather take that cold shower than mess with her.
Before he could change his mind, Alli’s gaze shot to the doorway. “Hey, Williams, come to see if I’ll let you beat me at chess again?”
“Not tonight,” Williams said, deadpan, his features a bronze mask. “Chris?”
Chris smirked. “Right here.”
Williams was not amused, just nudged his chin to indicate they were taking this out into the hallway.
Alli leant across the chessboard to whisper, “Duty calls.”
“More like a bollocking,” Chris muttered as he pushed to his feet, a word he’d picked up from Alli. He wasn’t a hundred percent sure what it meant, but it sounded like something Williams might excel at giving.
Out in the hallway, he frowned up at the tall, imposing man. “You do realize Alli knows who we are?”
As ambassador, Sean McAllister had been informed and it didn’t take a genius to figure out that what Sean knew quickly found its way to Beth and Lynn and, usually, Alli. Hell, maybe even the kid, Johnnie. Besides, living in the same house, guests of Doc Nate (as Rachel called him) had a way of exposing hidden identities.
“And that’s all she needs to know,” Williams said, long strides eating up the passageway to the front door, forcing Chris to hurry after. “Captain Davis wants to see us.”
Out the door, down the gravel path to the white picket fence gate, Chris burst into a sprint to catch up. “The pigeon’s arrived with word from my dad?”
“I don’t know any more than you,” Williams said, a slanted glance his way. “But why else would we have been summoned?”
Chris’ heart kicked in opposite directions. That’s what it felt like. He’d been desperate to hear from his dad. That’s what they’d been waiting for, the reason Williams had agreed to linger in Little Falls. But if the wait was over, that meant they were leaving.
Leaving Little Falls.
Leaving Rachel.
Maybe it’s for the best, before things get complicated.
He fell into silence, half-jogging to keep up with Williams’ long legs and the man’s hurry. No surprise there. Williams had been in a hurry to leave Little Falls from the day they’d arrived. He had his orders, get Chris to some research station in the Colorado mountains where his grandfather was supposed to be, and a secret service agent with a presidential order was like a starving dog with a juicy bone.
They passed the gas station, left onto the field of shrouded, moonlit army tents, vended their way around the medic tent and across the clearing toward the dull glow of lantern light sliding through an unzipped flap seam in the canvas.
Captain Davis sat at the map table, glanced up with a sober smile as they entered, and he wasn’t alone.
“Chris,” Sean said. “Williams.”
Williams inclined his head in greeting.
“Hey,” Chris said. He hadn’t seen much of Sean since the Sunshine Farm shootout, but that incident had cemented his respect for the man.
“Sit, please.” Captain Davis waved them into the fold-out chairs around the table.
“You’ve heard from my dad?” Chris asked.
Davis nodded, looked at him a long moment, then shifted that heavy-browed look to Williams. “I’ve received instructions from the president to provide you with a functional vehicle immediately.” One of those shaggy white brows lifted. “I assume you have some place you need to be?”
“We do,” Williams confirmed.
“Hang on,” Chris ground out. “That’s it? He didn’t send me a message or anything?”
“Afraid not, son.” Davis scratched his jaw, his gaze returning to Chris. “You must understand, communication is difficult and not secure.”
“The presidential command base has been relocated from D.C. to an undisclosed location,” Davis said. “I can tell you this. President Merrick is safe and remains our Commander in Chief.”
Chris slouched lower in his chair, a sour weight sinking to his stomach.
What had he expected? A personalized note? Miss you son, see you soon, love you, Dad. Yeah, right, tragic if that fell into enemy hands. A real deal-clincher in this war.
What did you expect? Nothing. Absolutely nothing. But there’d been a nugget of hope. That Dad would say screw the Silvers, screw everyone else, and rush to his side. Or send a convoy to bring Chris back to him.
No expectations.
Just hope.
“You have a vehicle available?” said Williams.
Sean answered. “The Hendersons have offered their truck.”
“That’s a damn lie,” Chris said hotly, jerking upright to glare at him. “The only way you’d get their truck is taking it by force.”
Sean shifted uneasily, admitted, “They weren’t thrilled, but they did agree to the arrangement.”
“What arrangement?” demanded Chris.
“That’s enough,” Williams said.
Chris ignored him. “What do the Hendersons get out of this so-called arrangement?”
“Serving their country and president,” Sean said.
Bullshit. Chris turned that glare on Williams. “We’re not taking their truck.”
Williams glanced around the table. “Would you excuse us for a minute?” Pushed to his feet with a steely look on Chris. “Can I have a word with you outside?”
“As many as you want.” He was done here. Blood boiling to heat his face, he stormed out the tent into the cooler air of the night. His heart raced with a fury unlike anything he’d ever felt. The kind of fury that spat stupid tears, blurred his vision.
He kept going until he reached the stand of firs, then he sank back against a trunk. Closed his eyes. Concentrated on breathing in, breathing out, trying to ignite that familiar disconnect from reality. It wouldn’t come. Now, when he needed this to be someone else’s nightmare, it felt like each damn step just led him deeper into his own nightmare of a life.
“Chris, I know what this is about.” The slightest inflection of tenderness in Williams’ voice. “It’s okay to be upset.”
“You don’t know a damn thing.”
“I know this isn’t about the truck,” Williams said. “Your father wants you to be safe. This is his way of loving you.”
Chris fisted his hands at his sides, blinked open his eyes to stare up into the velvet brush of fir above. He knew Williams spoke the truth. He’d never doubted his dad loved him, wanted him safe. But was it so wrong to need more? To actually need his dad to be here, present, for once in his life?
Apparently.
“You’re wrong.” He brought his eyes down to Williams, blotting out the one thing he could never change. His father. “This is only about the truck. We had a deal, Williams. You promised me we wouldn’t steal their truck and I don’t care what anyone calls this, it’s stealing. The Hendersons helped us, they cared for you, brought us here so you could get to a doctor. They’re good people. They have a daughter, and a granddaughter, and we don’t know if one day that truck will mean the difference between their survival or their deaths.”
“Okay,” Williams drew out. “We don’t take their truck, but I’m still getting you to Colorado.”
“I know.”
“Good.” A small pause, then, “Let’s see how we’re going to do this. Coming?”
Chris pushed off the tree to follow him back into the tent.
“Sorry for the interruption, gentlemen,” Williams said.
“Williams has nothing to be sorry for,” Chris corrected as he once again took his seat. “I’m sorry.”
Sean gave him a sympathetic look.
Davis’ mustache twitched. Amusement? That didn’t last once Williams informed him, “I’m afraid the Hendersons’ truck won’t work for us.”
“It’s all I have,” Davis said gruffly. “The jeep and tactical vehicle are too critical, I can’t give up either.”
“Perhaps Private Ritter could do something,” Sean suggested. “He rebuilt the LAV, put an older engine in it and rewired the mechanics to bypass any electronics. We have plenty of cars standing around.”
“It took him a week to get that right and he’d still have to salvage another motor from somewhere.” Davis looked at Williams. “The order I received was explicit; provide you with a vehicle immediately.”
“Then do it,” Williams said.
“The Hendersons truck.”
“No.”
“Then you’ll have to wait until Private Ritter can get another car up and running.”
“Unacceptable.”
“Jesus,” Davis muttered with a show of temper that bulged a vein at his temple. “This isn’t a debate. Take the truck or wait.”
Chris didn’t know much about negotiations, but this one seemed to be at a stalemate.
Until Williams relented with, “Very well, we’ll set out on foot like we originally intended.”
“I can’t allow that,” Davis said. “I have orders.”
Williams stood to stare him down. “Which you don’t seem very good at following, Captain.”
“You honestly expect me to give up the jeep?”
“You’re in command of a hundred square mile grid,” Williams said coolly. “I honestly expected you to put some effort into searching beyond your backdoor for a suitable vehicle.”
“That will take time.”
“How many days? Shorter than a week, I’d imagine.”
“I don’t have the resources to send soldiers out on a goose chase.”
“Then we’ll walk and find our own transport along the way,” Williams stated. “If there’s nothing else?”
Sean jumped on that with a pointed look at the captain, “They need to know, if they’re going out there.”
That ominous statement grabbed Chris’ attention. “Know what?”
The captain’s jaw worked to argue, but something in that eye-lock between him and Sean prevailed. He planted his elbows on the table, steepled his fingers, heavy browed gaze sweeping straight over Chris to Williams. “What you’re about to hear is classified.”
“More like sensitive,” Sean hedged in.
“It does not leave the room,” Captain Davis asserted stiffly.
“I strongly advise you reconsider that,” Sean said regardless. “This concerns civilians and if you meant what you promised, that my ambassadorial role here isn’t just a nod to the president, then this is the time for you to listen.”
“I’m not making a call on that until I hear from Colonel Ainsley.” Davis looked at Williams. “I need you to acknowledge. What you’re about to hear does not leave this room.”
Chris held his breath, afraid to blink a lash that could draw attention. This was usually the part where he got sent out to play while the adults talked.
“Classified intel,” Williams said. “I’ve got it.”
Davis settled back in his chair, inclined his head at Sean.
“Sergeant Woods and I came across a Silvers battlecruiser on the ground while we were on patrol today,” Sean said.
“Shot down?” asked Williams.
Sean shook his head. “Landed inside a fortified compound north of here. It’s possible the Silvers’ strategy has moved onto the next phase—”
“Ground invasion,” Williams concluded, turning a shoulder on Davis to face Sean squarely. “What else do we know? Numbers? Did you see any of their armed forces?”
“We didn’t see any movement,” Sean said. “Only the battlecruiser. Captain Davis has the fort under surveillance.”
Holy shit. Chris bit his tongue, kept himself small, but it didn’t matter.
“And this is where your involvement ends,” Captain Davis said bluntly, addressing everyone in the r
oom and slamming the door on any further questions.
A stormy silence descended, held for a long beat.
“Given this turn of events, it seems prudent to accept your offer,” Williams said to the captain. “We’ll wait for Private Ritter to get a car up and running.”
Either Williams was seriously spooked by the grounded Silvers or… Chris smirked to himself. Definitely or. Williams never spooked.
Captain Davis relaxed visibly. “I’ll make sure that’s his top priority,” he said and dismissed them all in short order.
They filed out the tent, not a word said until they were across the clearing. Then Sean chuckled. “Man, you really got under Davis’ skin. I almost felt sorry for him.”
Williams shrugged. “I had every intention of letting him gently off the hook, until he tried to tell me what I’m allowed and not allowed to do.”
“It was fun to watch,” Sean said with another chuckle and strode on ahead.
“Not so fast, McAllister,” Williams called after, stopping him in his tracks. “We’re not done talking.”
“I knew it,” Chris exclaimed. “We’re not staying for the car, are we?”
“That depends,” Williams said. “If Ritter can work a miracle in the next day or so, I’ll be happy to take a running vehicle off his hands.”
“And meanwhile?”
“You get an extra day to rest your legs.”
Chris snorted. “Don’t pretend you’re not going snooping around that ship.”
“You heard Captain Davis,” Williams said, innocent as a lamb.
Sean joined them, adding, “Our hands are officially tied.”
“Yeah, right.” Chris folded his arms, not about to go anywhere until they confessed.
Williams cleared his throat. “Don’t you have a party to get to?”
“You know about that?”
“Is it a secret?”
“Apparently not and don’t change the subject,” Chris muttered. “What are you planning?”
“Nothing yet.” Williams bent a little to square a look on Chris. “For now, I just want to get a handle on the situation before we go trekking across the country. But if I do plan anything, you will not be involved.”