by Robert Boren
“Yeah,” Terry said, smiling. “Good thing Gabe brought all that dynamite.”
Clint chuckled. “We’ll give them a good show. Got charges placed by your old chopper, and the pool house too.”
“It’s okay to blow that up?” General Hogan asked.
“It’s dilapidated anyway,” Charlie said. “Not worth saving, so might as well blow it.”
“We got some loose sticks of dynamite we can toss around,” Terry said. “But we’ll use those last.”
“If the choppers start shooting, you two get downstairs fast,” Trish said. “I mean it.”
“I know, honey,” Terry said.
“Okay, let’s go,” Clint said. They hurried up the stairs, running towards the first two plungers, ready to blast.
“Hopper’s people must be close,” Kurt said.
“Yeah, they’re back by the spring,” General Hogan said. “Boys, you ready?”
“Yeah, dad,” Private Brown said. “We hand-loaded some blank rounds. We’re ready to go.”
“You have real rounds on you too, just in case, right?” he asked.
“Yeah,” Private Jennings said. “C’mon, guys.” They rushed up the stairs.
“Should we start the meeting yet?” Jerry asked, standing in front of the kitchen counter, his laptop open next to Jasmine’s.
“Yeah, I’d say so,” General Hogan said. “Hey Jake, that satellite dish working?”
“Yeah,” he said. “I ran a wire right over to Jerry’s machine, just in case we lose our phones and internet again.”
“If we lose the cell tower, will we lose the meeting?” he asked.
“Yes and no,” Jerry said. “We’re routing it through Frank’s old company again. They’ll lose us if the cell tower gets hit, but they won’t lose the meeting.”
“So they could still talk to each other, then. Excellent.”
“The meeting is up,” Jerry said. He put on his Bluetooth headset.
Jasmine did the same. “I hope mom survives this,” she said, her brow furrowed.
“We’ll do the best we can, honey,” Jerry said. “Whatever happens, keep your eyes on the ball, okay?”
“Yeah,” she said.
General Hogan’s phone rang. He put it to his ear, then smiled.
“Okay, they’re going to commence blowing off ordnance in the back. Hopper’s calling Daan’s people in two minutes, and the choppers should be here about the same time.”
“Gunfire!” Charlie said, listening to the snap crackle pop outside. Then there was more, popping, closer to the barn.
“Blanks,” Kurt said. “Hear that? Choppers are coming already.”
The gunfire continued as the choppers got louder and louder. Then there was a big explosion behind the park.
“That’s Hopper’s ordnance,” Jake said, pointing to the TV screen. He had the cameras shown on a six-piece grid, the upper middle section showing smoke curling up behind the park.
“Choppers are here,” General Hogan shouted. Then there were more explosions behind the park, and a large one in front of the park.
“There goes some dynamite!” Jake shouted. “Damn, picked up that hulk of your chopper about four feet, general.”
A second explosion happened, close to the barn. “There goes the pool house,” Charlie cried, laughing. “Damn, what a mess.”
General Hogan’s phone rang, and he answered it, getting a large grin on his face. “Hopper had one of Daan’s lieutenants on the line when that was going off, and the chopper pilots saw the whole thing. His guys are gonna to nail the choppers now.”
“Yeah, there goes an anti-aircraft missile,” Kurt said, looking at the flash on the view of the back. A huge fireball lit the area as the missile connected. “Scratch one chopper!”
“Couple more still out there,” Charlie said, watching the TV screen nervously. Hilda was by his side, arm around his waist, eyes wide with terror.
“Second anti-aircraft missile!” Kurt shouted, watching it rise. No second explosion. “Dammit, missed.”
There was a huge explosion, very close, in the front of the park.
“Wow,” the Sheriff said, turning towards Jake. “What the hell?”
“What’d they hit?” General Hogan asked, rushing to the TV screen.
“Another anti-aircraft missile!” Kurt said. Then there was a brilliant flash, and the helicopter headed toward the ground, landing on the fence in the back, narrowly missing a couple of coaches.
“That was too close!” General Hogan said. His phone rang again. He answered it, a worried look on his face.
“What’s wrong?” Charlie asked as the general hit another contact on his phone.
“The third chopper is out of range now,” General Hogan said, phone back to his ear. He had a brief three word conversation and put his phone in his pocket.
“What?” Kurt asked.
“The fighter jet just let a missile go,” General Hogan said. As he said it there was a muffled explosion. He grinned. “Scratch number three.”
Clint and Terry rushed back down the stairs.
“What’s the matter?” the Sheriff asked.
“You see what that chopper hit?” Terry asked.
“No, don’t have a camera pointed that way,” Kurt said. “What was it?”
“The front building, where we had the nerve gas.”
Silence settled over the room.
***
“They’re next to the fence!” George whispered, watching as Ned and his men stood there, looking at it. “Get ready.”
One of the men brought over a cutting torch and started it, the intense glow filling that section of the wash.
“They’re gonna see that,” Heidi whispered, putting the .270 scope up to her eye, ready to fire.
“Don’t fire yet,” George whispered. “They’re experts at this. Trust me.”
There was commotion on the far side of the facility. Two semi-trucks pulled away from a big building, heading down the long access road towards the highway.
“Oh, no, what if they’ve got our people in those trucks?” Heidi asked.
“If they do, they won’t get far,” George said. “Get on the meeting.”
“Oh, yeah,” she said, pulling her phone out and putting on her Bluetooth headset. George did the same.
“Hello?” George asked.
“Hey, George, Jerry here. How’s it going?”
“We can hear you too,” Ned whispered. “No chatter. We’re almost through this fence. It’s quiet as a church over here.”
“Jerry, just saw two semi-trucks leave the northwest corner of the facility. Have somebody watching where they go, okay?”
“On it,” Jasmine said.
“Can you hit those trucks with the M107?” Heidi asked.
“Only if I hit them right now, and that’ll tip off the enemy in the facility,” George said.
“We’re through!” Ned whispered. “Going in.”
Gunfire erupted from inside the fence, several quick shots, and then more.
“Dammit,” Ned said. “Get in that door before they get a chance to kill our friends.”
“Now I can hit those trucks,” George said. He turned the M107 towards them and fired, hitting the first one in the cab. It ran off the road, the one behind slamming into it. “Keep them busy while I get back on the facility.”
“Got it,” Heidi said. She started firing as quickly as she could, hitting the cabs several times, and then the people fleeing from the back of the semi-trucks. Both their phone apps went off.
“There be cretins in those semis,” George said with a pirate voice as Heidi continued to fire at them.
“Here comes the cavalry, from the far side of the facility,” George said. He starting firing at the running men with the M107, sending several of them splattering to the ground and causing the others to run for cover. A round hit the ridge about twenty yards below where he was.
“Look out,” George said. Heidi picked up the 30-06 when the .
270 was empty, and fired away, hitting several more men around the truck as they attempted to return fire.
“They’re not very good, are they?” Heidi asked. “The Islamists.”
“No,” George said. “You got enough of them. See that building third from the corner? There’s people hiding behind it. Want to use the OICW?”
“Yeah,” she said, picking it up. “Where?”
“Left side of the building,” George said.
She aimed and fired, the sizzling sound of the bullet filling the air. Then there was a loud snap, and somebody screamed. Men ran out and George wailed on them with the M107.
“Mind if I use this on the trucks real quick?” Heidi asked. “I can see some guys back there.”
“Yeah, but make it quick. More folks rushing the building where our people are.”
Heidi took a bead on the front truck and fired, close to the fuel tank, setting the first rig ablaze. She fired at the second one after that. Several men ran away. Heidi went for the .30-06 when George stopped her.
“No, forget them,” George said. “Hit that area down there with the OICW again.”
“Okay,” she said, letting another round go, sizzling toward the target and exploding. George nailed the men who tried to run away, then sent some fire at another group running up from the far side of the facility.
“Ned, talk to me,” George said. “You got them?”
“No, but we secured the building. Rigging up C-4 to blow the cell door. Couldn’t find a key.”
There was an explosion inside the building.
“Work?” George asked.
“Yeah,” he said. “We rigged the front door so when they open it, bang.”
“Get our folks out of there!” George said.
“On our way,” Ned said.
“Look, here they come, through the hole,” Heidi shouted.
Gunfire erupted at the men, killing the first two as they emerged.
“Shit!” George said, turning the M107 towards the source of the fire. It was to the left of the hole. “Dammit, those are the guys from that truck, aren’t they? Should have let them go.”
“Yeah, but I’m on them,” Heidi said, sending a round sizzling towards a pile of rubbish about two hundred yards from the truck. It went off in the right place, scattering the men. George opened fire, killing them as fast as he could pull the trigger. Then there was the sound of a hunting rifle.
“Is that Jeb?” George shouted, laughing, watching the old man firing at the fleeing men like a maniac.
“C’mon, get away from there,” George said.
“We’re leaving,” Ned said. They ran across the wash in a crouch.
“Look out,” Heidi cried. “Some of them coming out the hole after our guys.”
“I see them!” George shouted. He opened up on them as Ned’s team fled, several of them helping Rosie.
“There’s a lot of them coming through that hole,” Heidi said.
“Send a round through there with the OICW,” George said.
“Wait,” she said, watching John Harper.
“Go sick’em!” John Harper shouted so loud they could hear it on the ridge. The Rottweiler and the Pit Bull took off in a sprint. The men near the hole took one look at those dogs and turned, trying to get through the hole to safety, just as Heidi shot an OICW round in. The bullet went off in the middle of a group, killing them in the hole.
“Wow!” George said. “I’d better not piss you off.”
“They’re out of there,” Heidi said. Then there was a huge explosion, blowing the brig sky high, pieces falling, fire everywhere.
“Damn, Ned, how much C-4 did you use on that booby trap?”
“Enough to get their attention, brother,” Ned said, out of breath. The men got to their Humvees as George and Heidi scanned the area looking for targets. Nobody was moving near the back of the facility, but in the front, men were moving around like ants over a carcass.
“Out of range?” Heidi asked.
“Yeah,” George said. “We’d better get on the road fast. They’re liable to follow us.”
“Look, another Semi coming out,” Heidi said.
“Last target of the day,” George said, turning the M107 in that direction. He blasted the cab, killing everybody inside instantly. The truck rolled on its side.
“Let’s get out of here,” Ned said. “Now.”
“Okay,” George said. “C’mon, honey, let’s blow this joint.”
They picked up their stuff and rushed to the Jeep, stuffing everything in the back just as the Humvees pulled next to them.
“Ready?” George asked.
“Let’s haul ass,” Ned said, tears in his eyes, sweat flowing off his brow. They hit the road, tires squealing.
“He was crying,” Heidi said as George drove onto the pavement.
“He just lost two men,” George said.
Chapter 13 – Spies and Moles
The Humvees and the Jeep flew down the road, passengers scanning in all directions, fingers on triggers. They still had the web meeting going.
“Everybody safe?” George asked.
“Yeah, except the two men I lost,” Ned said.
“My mom okay?” Jasmine asked.
“Yeah, Rosie, Jeb, and Dick are in my vehicle,” Ned said. “All made it through okay.”
“Good job everybody,” George said. “We’d better stay sharp. There were a lot of cretins running around in the far side of that place.”
“You shot three semi-trucks, right?” Ned asked.
“Yeah,” Heidi said. “First two are complete toast, the men dead or wounded, from what I could see. George blasted the cab in the third one, but we didn’t stick around to deal with the men in the back.”
“Still drivable?” Ned asked.
“Doubt it,” George said. “I shot the cab up pretty good. Those .50 cal rounds tear stuff up.”
“Think the general could get an airstrike going on this joint?” Ned asked.
“I heard you guys,” General Hogan said. “Already on it.”
“Those apps of yours went crazy when the trucks got hit,” Ned said. “One thing I noticed, though. Most of the men we fought inside the facility weren’t Islamists. I think they were UN.”
“Yeah, definitely UN,” Spence said. “They didn’t have their uniforms on, but I could tell.”
“Me too,” Wedgie said.
“Who got killed?” George asked.
“Two younger recruits,” Ned said. “Second big battle for them. Haskell and Keach.”
“Sorry,” George said. “Probably shouldn’t have hit those trucks. I think that’s where the guys came from who attacked you on the way out.”
“Stop right now,” Ned said. “It’s a good thing you did that. If they had gotten onto the road ahead of us, we’d be fighting them now.”
“He’s right, George,” Wedgie said.
“Air strikes coming,” General Hogan said. “We’d better go, our new allies are coming in.”
“Mind if we keep the meeting on?” George asked.
“I’ll keep it running and monitor it,” Jerry said. “Oh, and the road ahead you guys is clear. I’m watching via the satellite.”
***
Frankie and Clara were sitting with Jake by the couches in the lounge.
“You should be happy,” Frankie said to Clara. “He lived.”
“Oh, I am,” Clara said, “but they’re not home yet. You know what happens sometimes on the way out.”
“What’s the matter, Jake?” Frankie asked, touching his shoulder. He was deep in thought.
“How did those choppers know about the front building?”
“You think they hit it because they thought nerve gas was still in there?” Clara asked.
“Not so loud,” Frankie whispered. “The militia is coming in. Look.” She nodded towards the door. The privates were leading them down the stairs.
“Yeah, I’m sure this will get discussed, but we don’t want to scuttl
e our partnership before it even gets started,” Jake said.
Clara’s phone rang. She answered, a broad smile on her face.
“Ned!” she said.
“Hi, Clara,” he said. “You make it through okay?”
“Of course,” she said. “I’ve been underground the whole time.”
“Good,” Ned said. “We’re high-tailing it. Should be home in about six and a half hours. Want to have dinner tonight?”
“Oh, a date?” she asked, giggling. “Of course, but please be careful on the road, okay?”
“I will,” he said. “We’re carrying precious cargo. First time I’ve met Jeb. That old man has a ton of heart.”
“Looking forward to meeting him and Rosie,” Clara said. “Heard so much about them. How about your brother. He okay?”
“Fit as a fiddle,” Ned said. “And just as ornery as ever. Can’t wait to introduce him to you.”
“Good.”
“Better go,” he said. “See you soon.”
“Okay,” she said.
“Oh, he’s calling you now, is he?” Frankie asked, grinning.
“Shut up,” she scolded. Then she cracked a smile. “Okay, I’m more than just attracted to him.”
“I think we should go join the main group,” Jake said. “We need to listen.”
“Okay,” Frankie said. The three of them joined the rest. General Hogan and Field Marshall Hopper were shaking hands in front of the bar. Hopper was a big man with a long beard, his dress closer to Civil War than modern. Billie and Jesse were with him. Charlie, Kurt, and the Sheriff walked up.
“C’mon, boys, let’s have a drink,” Charlie said, beaming. He got behind the bar. Jesse and Billy got on stools, watching as he poured. The Sheriff and Kurt sat next to them.
“Hey, Field Marshal and General, you guys want whiskey?” Charlie asked.
Hopper got a big grin on his face. “Count me in.”
“Sure,” General Hogan said.
“Good, here comes my leadership team,” Hopper said, watching the stairs. “C’mon, guys, get over here and belly up.” Four men and a woman came over, all smiles.
“General, allow me to introduce our team,” Hopper said. “Ladies first. That’s Shirley McKenna.” She extended her hand to General Hogan.