On His Watch

by Susanne Matthews

  It was after one. They’d been keeping watch for six hours. He hated waiting, and he’d done a lot of it over the years—sitting and watching for an eternity, expecting something to happen, but nothing did. He’d forgotten how brain and body numbing it could be. Technically he still was on medical leave since his approval to work this case had come as a big favor from on high, but with a “special circumstances” stamp on it. Before he’d be cleared to return to his old job, he’d have to undergo a thorough physical examination and talk to the bureau shrinks.

  He was bleary-eyed. Sitting and staring made his eyes ache. He blinked them several times in quick succession trying to ease his discomfort. He shifted his stance to relieve the stiffness in his back and his knees, and moved his trigger finger to clasp and unclasp his stiff hand.

  He glanced at his watch and wondered how Cassie was doing. He’d heard a few moans from upstairs, but none of the screaming in agony or cursing portrayed in the movies. The little nurse must be a hell of a lot tougher than anyone had thought. It couldn’t be easy giving birth under these circumstances.

  He forced himself to focus on the tree line again. Large snowflakes drifted down now and then, and he almost shot a deer that had wandered into the yard. He inhaled deeply trying to slow his pounding heart. An itchy trigger finger was the last thing he needed.

  An infant’s lusty cry split the air. The bedroom door opened, and Nikki called out. “Baby boy Palmer is officially here. Mother and son are fine. Nathan says he’ll finish here and be down as soon as he can. I’ll come down and make coffee. Jason, don’t you dare tell me to stay up here.”

  Jason chuckled. “I wouldn’t dare,” he called back.

  He heard Troy laugh, easing tension so thick it could’ve been cut with a knife.

  The truth was, they could all use a jolt of caffeine, and none of them could leave their post to make it.

  A son! It must really be something to see the woman you loved carrying your child and giving birth to your own flesh and blood. He doubted he’d ever see it. And Nikki may never want another child, let alone be capable of having one. Not that they were going to set up house and make babies in the next week. Hell, it was all a moot point tonight.

  He remembered her injuries when he found her after the attack, and the vision sobered him. The son of a bitch out there somewhere wanted to finish the job. There was no way he was going to let The Butcher anywhere near her.

  He blinked his eyes and stared. Had something moved in the snow? He put on his infrared glasses and scanned the tree line. Nothing. He was imagining things. When Nathan touched his shoulder, he jumped. He removed the glasses and allowed his eyes to adjust to the dim light.

  “You scared the daylights out of me. I thought that would take longer.”

  Nathan laughed and rubbed his forehead. “My wife’s an amazing woman. She did all the work. She needs to rest now. Nikki is a hell of a woman, too. I don’t know what I’d have done without her. Mandy, bless her little heart, slept through the whole thing.”

  Jason shook his head. “There are times I wish I could sleep like that. She never heard anything that night either.”

  But Nikki didn’t scream or cry out. I can’t imagine how she did it. The pain had to be excruciating. And I was picking up a six-pack.

  “You must be exhausted.”

  Nathan smiled. “Not as tired as she is. I worked longer shifts when I was an intern and then a resident. Babies like being born at night.” He chuckled. “That’s when most of them are probably made, and my gorgeous son is no exception. I’ve spelled Angie long enough to use the facilities. The woman’s a machine, like the female version of RoboCop. To be honest, I don’t think I’m cut out for combat. I know how to use one of these things, but I’m not sure I could kill a man.”

  “You’ll do what needs to be done. Just think of your wife and son upstairs. That’ll give you the incentive you need.”

  Just as he’d have no trouble killing the men after Nikki and her daughter. A man protected his own.

  Fear and pride warred on the young father’s face. “You’re right. I’ll do what I have to for them.”

  “Congratulations, by the way. Have you chosen a name?”

  “We have, but we’re not telling anyone until this is over.” Nathan frowned and pursed his lips. “It’ll be light in six hours or so. I’m not sure Cassie and the baby will be able to travel by then.”

  “Don’t worry. We won’t leave here until we can all go.” Despite his best effort to suppress it, Jason yawned. He’d been awake since five this morning. It had been years since he’d pulled an all-nighter like this.

  “Even if I could lie down now, I’m way too excited to sleep,” Nathan said. “I thought I’d miss this, you know. Thought I’d be in Kandahar. I never expected to deliver him myself.”

  “You’re a lucky man.”

  “I know, and I intend to stay that way. When you pop in to see Nikki, have a look at my son. He’s beautiful.”

  Jason handed over the assault rifle and goggles, then hurried up the stairs to the bedroom. The light was still on, and Mandy was much as he’d left her. Cassie was asleep on the bed, her infant bundled against her. Nikki sat on the other bed, her arms wrapped tightly around herself, staring into space, silent tears streaming unheeded down her cheeks.

  “What’s wrong?”

  She looked up, and a cry escaped her. She threw herself into his arms, sobbing loudly into his shoulder.

  “Jason, how could I have forgotten him? How can I have forgotten giving birth to my own little boy? I want to remember the wonder and love I felt holding my son in my arms, holding Mandy the same way. I want to remember his little face nuzzling at my breasts. Where are my maternal instincts? I want to remember him so badly. Damn it! I want to remember it all.”

  “You will, sweetheart. It’s just going to take time.”

  He held her close a few moments longer, his hand rubbing comforting circles on her back she’d never feel through the Kevlar vest, his lips brushing her hair. He’d do anything to take this pain away from her. Reluctantly, he moved her back slightly and looked into her teary eyes. The agony he saw there echoed inside him.

  “I’d do anything to be able to just stand here and hold you, but I have to get back. Are you feeling well enough to come down and make that coffee you offered? We could sure use it. You can’t turn on the lights, but there’s a flashlight you can use.”

  She sniffed loudly and pushed out of his arms. He watched her face as she pulled herself together.

  “This is my fight, and I want to do what I can. I’m sorry for falling apart. It was such an awesome, emotional event. I can’t believe I can’t remember it. I’ve lost so much. I thought making new memories with Mandy would be enough, but it won’t be. I may have been a patient woman in the past, but I’m not now. When this is over, I’m going to contact Dr. James. He says there may be ways to recover some of my memories, and I’ll try anything.”

  There was more than determination in her voice. This was an oath, and he admired her all the more for it.

  Nikki used her hands to wipe away her tears. “Let me check on Cassie and Mandy, and I’ll be right down.”

  Jason nodded, bent his head, and claimed her lips. She responded as she had before, and he had to pry himself away from her. This was neither the time nor the place to give into their needs. He ended the kiss and handed her the small flashlight from his back pocket.

  “Use this one to go down the stairs. With most of the windows shuttered, it’s dark down there.”

  He kissed her again quickly and left the room to check on Angie. He knocked on the front bedroom door and entered when he heard the grunt inside.

  He stared at the window where he knew the woman was. For a moment, he saw nothing. Slowly, his eyes adjusted to the gloom. She was exactly where she was supposed to be, but dressed head to toe in black as she was, she was all but invisible—a shadow ninjas straight out of a James Bond movie. He’d never have believed
someone could hide so completely in plain sight.

  “How’s it going?”

  Angie didn’t seem to move a muscle. “So far, so good. I’ve seen some deer and rabbits. As long as the animals are moving around, we know there aren’t any men in the woods. How’s Nikki handling it all?”

  “She’s good. She’s going to make coffee in a few minutes. I’ll bring you a cup.”

  “That would be great. She makes good coffee—strong the way I like it. Can you toss in a cookie or two if there’s any left?”

  “Will do.” Jason turned and went downstairs and went over to Troy.

  His position faced the side and front of the house where the garage was as well as the driveway in from the highway. The cleared lawn was bisected by the plowed laneway. Jason almost wished they’d kept the road plugged and closed, but the half-mile trek from the highway in would have been impossible to navigate for a pregnant woman and men carrying an invalid and a child, and they had to be able to go in and out for food and supplies. Nothing could be done to change it now. Beyond the lawn was a thick forest of bristlecone pine, Colorado blue spruce, and quaking aspen. At this time of year, the forest was easy to cross, making this an ideal staging area for a raid.

  “See anything?”

  “A couple of deer and some rabbits,” Troy said echoing Angie’s words. He looked up briefly. “How’s everyone holding up?”

  “So far, so good.”

  “I thought of calling for back-up earlier and evacuating, but not knowing if The Butcher had found us or set a trap for us along the isolated road convinced me we were better watching and waiting. I believed this team up to the task, but the longer we sit and wait, the less sharp we are.”

  The aroma of fresh brewed coffee filled the air.

  “Nikki must have realized that. Coffee’s just about ready. I’ll bring it around before I go up to my post.”

  Troy nodded. “We’ve got this covered. I know Ivan hopes we can take The Butcher alive so he can go back to France to stand trial, but I’ve told everyone to shoot to kill. I don’t want to take any chances.”

  “Believe me, dead’s fine as far as I’m concerned. I’ll see about the coffee. You take yours black, right?”

  Troy nodded. Jason left him and went into the kitchen. In the flashlight’s glow, Nikki’s hands, the only part of her visible in the small light, doctored the cups. Her head turned toward him as he approached.

  “Coffee’s ready. Will you bring it to them, or should I?”

  “I’ll do it. Just give me Nathan’s and Troy’s now. I’ll be back for mine and Angie’s.”

  She handed him two cups. Her hands trembled slightly. “The one on the left is Troy’s.”

  She held out a plastic bag, which he gripped with the remaining fingers of his right hand.

  “There are a few cookies in there for each of them, too.”

  He was back in less than two minutes. “I’ll carry the coffee and cookies for Angie and me. Did you make a cup for yourself?” he asked.

  “No. I warmed up some milk. I don’t think I can sleep, but I’ll try.”

  Jason followed her up the dark stairs, stopping first to deliver Angie’s refreshments before heading into Nikki’s room to say goodnight.

  Cassie and the baby still slept, as did Mandy. The little puppy had moved and was cuddled beside her in much the same fashion Baby Palmer was to his mother. Nikki sat on the side of the bed, sipping from her cup.

  “They make a cute couple.” He indicated the puppy and Mandy.

  Nikki chuckled. “They certainly do. I don’t know how I’m going to keep him out of her bed from now on. I may have created a whole new problem for myself.”

  Jason stared at her and frowned. “Why is it such a big deal? Lots of kids sleep with their pets. I did.”

  She shook her head. “Sam would never approve. He didn’t believe in animals in the house. He said they were germ-ridden vermin.” She gasped. “I just remembered. The kids wanted a dog, and he absolutely refused to allow it.” Tears filled her eyes. “How can I remember something like that and nothing else?”

  Before he could answer, Troy shouted from downstairs. “Game on. Something set off the silent alarm at the front and side of the house. They’re coming in from the woods.”

  Jason stood, fear adding to his determination. There were four people in this room who needed him to stay focused. “I’ve got to go. Do you remember how to use the gun?”

  He pointed to the Beretta he’d shown her how to fire earlier. She nodded.

  “Don’t forget to take the safety off. Do it if you hear anyone trying to get in here other than one of us. Aim straight ahead of you. With your height, you’ll be looking at the body. Bigger target. Even if the person’s wearing a vest, a bullet at this distance will incapacitate him. You’re their last line of defense.” He indicated Cassie, the baby, and Mandy. “If the bastard gets up here, it’s because we can’t help you.”

  Nikki nodded.

  The sound of gunfire filled the air, awakening Cassie and Mandy who started to cry, and reached for her mother. The puppy yapped. Cassie’s sobs tore at his heart.

  “I’ll be back, I promise, and I always keep my promises.”

  He kissed her quickly and heard Nikki lock the door behind him. The door wouldn’t be much protection, but it would delay the assailant for a few seconds—and a few seconds was all she’d need to shoot. He prayed she wouldn’t have to.

  Jason moved quickly toward the back room his gun drawn. The automatic rifle he’d positioned earlier sat near the window. A flash of light illuminated the darkened house, followed by a thunderous explosion that made his ears ring. Nathan screamed in pain, and Troy yelled.

  “Son of a bitch. I’m blind. I don’t know how, but the bastards know we’re waiting. They’ve used flash grenades.”

  Jason ran to the front room where Angie was. She rubbed her eyes, and then fired the automatic weapon in her hand. Through the window he could see three bodies on the ground near the tree line. Another two lay part way up the lawn. None of them were moving.

  “Are you okay?” He watched her blink her eyes in an owl-like fashion.

  “I’m fine. I don’t wear goggles. My night vision’s excellent. The flash didn’t blind me the way it did the others.” As she spoke, she picked off another man coming out of the woods. “Go check with Troy. If he’s been blinded, he’ll need your eyes down there. Come on, boys,” she chortled, adrenaline giving her voice an edge. “This is like shooting fish in a barrel. Go downstairs. I’m okay.”

  The sound of breaking glass sounded loud despite the occasional burst of gunfire.

  “Smoke grenade!” Nathan yelled.

  Jason was relieved to hear his voice after the cry he’d heard earlier. Each of the men downstairs had oxygen masks beside them. Troy had insisted they be ready for anything. From the front room he could hear Angie firing.

  Jason looked over the railing to the lower level. It was filled with smoke, so thick he wouldn’t be able to see his hand in front of his face if he tried to go down there. Without a breathing apparatus, he’d be incapacitated in minutes. The plan was in place, and they were ready. He hurried along the hall, intent on getting back to Nikki, but before he could, he heard the front door splinter. The sound of automatic weapon fire filled the air, and he hoped those downstairs had been able to move to the secondary location as planned. From the sound of the footsteps, three, maybe four men had entered the house.

  Retracing his steps to the front room, Jason saw the fully opened window, indicating that Angie had gone outside. She’d re-enter the house behind the invaders and take them from the rear. Nathan and Troy would’ve gone into the basement leaving the mudroom door open on their way by. They’d go out through the old coal chute and re-enter behind the enemy. The only one caught out of position was him.

  Jason had almost reached Nikki when the hall light came on and a blast of gunfire came up the stairs. He backed into the bathroom and stepped into the tub, ha
lf of which was behind the open door, and moved as far behind the door as he could. The mirror over the sink showed the top of the stairs, and Jason watched three men slowly emerge from the smoke. All were dressed in winter camouflage gear, no doubt with body armor underneath, and carried CZ-805 BREN assault weapons.

  Jason frowned and stared down as his Sig Sauer. Trying to take them out now, by himself, would be suicide. The first man was black, about six one, and well muscled. The second had an olive complexion and was short and stocky. Behind them, a white man, at least six three, appeared above the smoke, and pulled off his gas mask as the others had done.

  “Where are you blighters?” Jason recognized The Butcher’s voice, and it took every ounce of his self-control not to run out into the hallway with gun blazing. But getting himself killed wouldn’t help Nikki. Jason watched one man enter the back bedroom, the room closest to the stairs, and spray it with bullets.

  The second man moved down the hall with The Butcher behind him. A lethal-looking hunting knife hung in an open sheath at the New Zealander’s waist. Was that the weapon he’d used to kill Danny, the doctor, and his co-conspirators? Was Nikki’s blood on that weapon, too?

  Jason inched forward, his pistol ready. If anyone looked behind the door, he’d have no choice but to shoot. Judging by the bulkiness of the camouflage they wore, the only way his small caliber gun would do any damage was if he managed to make it a head shot. He’d take one of the bastards with him, but as soon as he fired, one of the other guys would kill him.

  Jason pulled back and watched what he could see of the hall through the crack between the wall and the door. The short man poked his head into the bathroom but gave it only a cursory glance before moving toward the front bedroom where the first man was firing blindly.

  He entered the room and laughed. “Boss, they’re scared of us. It looks as if whoever was in here ran away to save his skin.”